The Little Guide to Writing for Impact

There is a tsunami of research being produced by social scientists, and most of them hope that their work will have impact on public policy. There is an enormous hunger by practitioners for insights into the work they are doing. Far too often, however, there is little connection between the two groups. Researchers complain that practitioners don’t pay enough attention to what they’re writing. Practitioners say that much of what they read isn’t understandable.

We propose to write a short, handy guide like Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style, aimed at those who seek to translate their research into impact on the world of public affairs. It will help readers do so in academic journals; dissertations and other research-based papers by graduate and undergraduate students; commentaries for major government-focused publications like Governing and GovExec; op-eds for major publications and local newspapers; think tanks and foundations; policy memos aimed at stakeholders within government agencies and elected officials; and books.

It will be designed so that its readers can quickly digest it from cover to cover, but it is our expectation that many will jump from chapter to chapter, seeking just the information they most covet. The chapter titles themselves will be punchy, and sometimes humorous, but with an emphasis on clarity. In addition, we will conclude each chapter with a series of bulleted take-aways, in the form of “Do’s and Don’ts”

The chapters will develop lessons based on feedback we have gleaned from leading authors and editors, in addition to the authors’ cumulative 110 years in the realm of public administration.

The book will provide specific real-world examples of what works—and what doesn’t. By way of illustration, examples will include a good pitch for an op-ed for a regional or a major newspaper; the opening paragraphs of a particularly well written journal abstract; and multiple concrete examples of clear concise writing – or unclear verbose writing – taken from published work.

The result will be a guidebook for preparing more effective writing, as well as creating greater impact for useful policy ideas. Given the growing complexity of government problems and the declining trust in government’s operations, writing for impact has never been more important.