Instructions for both Opinion pieces and Policy Briefs

· Use nontechnical language

· Avoid academic jargon like exogenous, independent, and dependent variable, etc.

· Write in conversational style

· Use sub-headings to break-up information

· This makes it easier to read and more engaging for your audience

· Avoid typical APA paper headings like “Background” and “Findings” – instead use descriptive phrases that entice the reader to continue reading and give them a glimpse of the information that is to come

· Spell out acronyms and define terms

· Don’t just say, “SES” or “ABA”– spell it out and define them

· Example: what do you mean when you say SES (socioeconomic status)? How is it operationalized/measured? With household income, individual income, education level, using federal poverty line brackets, being a Pell grant recipient, being eligible for free and reduced-price lunch…etc.?

· When writing an Opinion column or a policy brief you want to minimize distractions and thus we don’t cite like we do in a normal APA paper instead we use endnotes

· (Links to an external site.)

· and direct hyperlinks

· (Links to an external site.)

· to the sources we are citing.