Objectives

1. Evaluate contemporary problems inherent in the workplace and public governance in the context of classical ideas and theories found within public administration literature
2. Evaluate and apply strategies of effective leaders in the public sector
3. Analyze an organization’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats Interact effectively and demonstrate composure, professionalism, and respect for others.
4. Understand and articulate the major paradigms of the field of public policy and administration
5. Participate successfully in team projects and contribute effectively to group outcomes
6. Share information, expertise, and resources.
7. Demonstrate the ability to research complex issues

What is Due?

1. Submit your draft translation memo

Introduction

The practice translation memos are designed to instill in students the competency to translate public policy and administration research into practice. In doing so, students will demonstrate the ability to access, identify, evaluate, and use effectively the extant research on substantive topics. Translation memorandums should be addressed to either a supervisor or elected official(s). Thinking broadly, translation memo topics may be from any area within the public service literature, including: public policy and administration, nonprofit management, human resource management, criminal justice, social work, etc.

For additional information and the list of articles to choose from, please review the Translation Memo assignment guidelines. Memos should be no more than six pages, and no less than four pages in length and include an overview to the article’s topic, an identification of the research question(s), and an evaluation of the findings and conclusions. Lastly, students must finish with a set of recommendations on how to either implement or apply the article’s recommendations/findings, or the student’s own recommendations based on their reading of the article.

In this module, please continue to review and edit your translation memo. Be sure to review the translation memo rubric, writing checklist, and tips for peer review editing.

Assignments

Submit: your draft Translation Memo:

What is a translation memo?

Memo, short for memorandum, is a brief written communication that follows a format specific to the institution or field of study for which it was written. Memos are written from someone within an organization/field to others inside the organization/field. They contain information of a directive, advisory or informative nature. Memos are shorter and less formal than a white paper or dissertation.

Translation comes from the Latin translat meaning ‘carried across.’ In order to translate the selected research study you must interpret and explain the study in your own words with the goal of making it more comprehensible and accessible to others in your field of study.

A successful translation memo will analyze the findings and observations of a specific study (or body of research) from your chosen field. It will then use that analysis to develop relevant and detailed recommendations regarding policies and practices.

Overview

One of the goals of Public Policy and Administration is to develop the ability to translate public policy and administrative research into practice. To that end, students will participate in the process of drafting and peer reviewing a translation memo.

This assignment should help students develop the ability to analyze and synthesize information in order to propose solutions for public service problems. Students must think critically by demonstrating procedural and conceptual knowledge, analyze data and research methods, and make recommendations that are evidence and outcome based.

In Public Administration, translation requires the ability to analyze and synthesize information in order to propose solutions for public problems. Students must think critically by demonstrating procedural and conceptual knowledge, analyze data and research methods, and make recommendations that are evidence and outcome based.

Translation memos are designed to instill in students the competency to translate public policy and administration research into practice. In doing so, students will demonstrate the ability to access, identify, evaluate, and use effectively the extant research on substantive topics. Translation memorandums should be addressed to either a supervisor or elected official(s). Thinking broadly, translation memo topics may be from any area within the public service literature, including: public policy and administration, nonprofit management, human resource management, criminal justice, social work, etc.

Instructions

A translation memo is structured around an inclusive and critical review of a focus or primary article. Memos should review the article’s main thesis, research question, methodology and findings, and then evaluate the articles methods and findings. Strong translation memos cite at least 5 relevant references, usually journal articles, to situate, contextualize and evaluate the selected primary article. Translation memos conclude with explicit recommendations on how to implement a policy or program based on the selected article. These recommendations should focus on either how to implement or apply the article’s recommendations/findings, or the student’s own recommendations based on their reading of the article. Translation memos should be between 4 and 6 pages in length. You can use the Translation Memo Checklist to help you edit your own memo, or when you peer review. I’ve prepared an overview and some guidelines to help you peer review translation memos.

For the purpose of learning how to prepare a translation memo in DPA 700, all students must choose from the below list of potential focus or primary articles:

• Basolo, V. and Scally, C. P. (2008).State innovations in affordable housing policy: Lessons from California and New Jersey. Housing Policy Debate 19,4: 741-774.
• Belle, N., Belardinelli, P., and Cantarelli, P. (2018). Prospect Theory goes public: Experimental evidence on cognitive biases in public policy and management decisions. Public Administration Review 78, 6: 828-841. https://onlinelibrary-wiley-com.proxy-wcupa.klnpa.org/doi/epdf/10.1111/puar.12960
• Bromberg, D.E., Charbonneau, E., and Smith, A. (2018). Body-worn cameras and policing: A list experiment of citizen overt and true support. Public Administration Review 78, 6: 883-891. https://onlinelibrary-wiley-com.proxy-wcupa.klnpa.org/doi/full/10.1111/puar.12924

WCU’s Library website can be used to identify the additional references, preferably peer-reviewed scholarly articles. If you can not find what you are looking for in WCU’s holdings, consider using EZBorrow and ILLIAD.

. Be sure to review the detailed grading rubric before and during the development of your memo.

Key points

A pre-writing checklist is a helpful way to organize a writing project.

Memo Structure:

A. Header (to, from, date, subject)

B. Summary (include study details and research question)

C. Background (context of study)

D. Evaluation (strength/weaknesses of premise, methodology, conclusions)

E. Recommendations (consider possible challenges to implementation)

Remember: A translation memo is not the same as a policy memo. The focus of this written document is the research study.

Sample translation memo: Read and review a sample memo, with editors comments, to get a sense of the typical features and structure of this genre. ALWAYS use APA guidelines to ensure the correct format.

The sample translation memo on Service Learning serves as an example of the genre and its elements. The memo contains unresolved edits to demonstrate the types of feedback students should provide, and expect, from peer reviewers. Specifically, the edits have been divided into two types, content edits and simple edits, in order to highlight the differences between comments related to substantive issues versus basic grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors.

All edits indicate where there are shortcomings and opportunities in the writer’s work. The writer needs to consider these comments as he/she begins the process of revising.

Some edits also contain references to AUTHOR, SUBJECT, AUDIENCE, AND PURPOSE which are important considerations for any writing assignment.