What is a policy briefing?
Policy briefings are commonly produced by organisations such as universities, public sector bodies, think tanks, businesses and lobbying groups. They are designed to highlight a policy issue and, often, to propose a recommended course of action to address the issue. The Heseltine Institute policy briefings usually clock in at around 2,000 words, but policy briefings can be as short as 500 words.
What are the benefits to researchers of producing a policy briefing?
As short, sharp and digestible publications, policy briefings are a useful ‘product’ for researchers when looking to promote their work. Done well, they can be more accessible for a wide audience than traditional academic publications. As ‘impact’ becomes an increasingly important part of academic work, they are a useful way of introducing research to policymakers.
What types of policy briefing are there?
There are two broad types of policy briefing: advocacy briefings and objective briefings. Advocacy briefings generally argue in favour of a particular course of action, providing evidence to support a change in policy. Objective briefings provide evidence but allow the reader to make up their own mind on the policy actions that should follow. Different approaches to policy briefings can be used for different audiences, policy issues and objectives.
How should a policy briefing be structured?
Policy briefings can be structured and designed in a variety of ways, but in general should include:
- Some recommendations or key takeaways
- A brief description of the policy problem or issue
- Information on the underpinning research and how it seeks to address the policy problem or issue
- Findings from the research and the implications of these for policy
- A conclusion with a short recap of the problem, proposals for addressing it and highlighting its importance
How can a policy briefing be used?
Policy briefings can be used to engage with a variety of policymakers, including politicians, civil servants and public sector bodies such as the NHS. Previous Heseltine Institute policy briefings have been:
- Submitted as evidence in parliamentary inquiries, for example by select committees and All-Party Parliamentary Groups
- Provided as evidence of impact in research funding applications
- Used to develop collaborations between academic and policy partners
- Received coverage on national television
- Helped to inform the policy positions of leading charities
Interactive session: key messages
The workshop included an interactive section, in which participants were asked to summarise their research or current work in three key messages and a short title. Attendees discussed their ideas in groups and feedback was provided. This interactive element helped participants understand the importance of distilling key findings and recommendations into a short summary for policy audiences.
Top tips
When writing a policy briefing, researchers should:
- Think carefully about who they hope will read the policy briefing
- Consider what the key messages or takeaways are
- Develop a strategy for using their policy briefing once published, for example promoting on social media or sending to targeted policymakers
- Keep their policy briefing short, avoid jargon and use a clear, simple structure
- Use their policy briefing to promote their research and collaborate with others
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