Policy sciences and congressional research : making sense of the research question
By: IOTT, Susan
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ArticlePublisher: Netherlands : Springer, sept. 2010Subject(s): Ciência Política | Administração Política | Sistema de Informação | Técnica AdministrativaPolicy Sciences 43, 3, p. 289-300Abstract: As an analyst for the US Government Accountability Office (GAO), I design and carry out policy studies mandated by law or requested by members of Congress. In 2006, GAO received a request to study federal land management agencies use of ecosystem management. Procedurally, the analytical problem that I faced in designing a study to respond to this request was that the underlying policy problem was unclear and thus difficult to operationalize in a study. As the lead analyst, I used the policy sciences framework to assess the underlying problem and help design the study in the context of multiple federal policies and academic research. The policy sciences framework is useful for analysis of ongoing policy issues because it helps the analyst make sense of the activities, positions, and ideas in a particular policy arena. It helps the analyst create a map of the policy problem to better define the problem and identify possible policy alternatives.
As an analyst for the US Government Accountability Office (GAO), I design and carry out policy studies mandated by law or requested by members of Congress. In 2006, GAO received a request to study federal land management agencies use of ecosystem management. Procedurally, the analytical problem that I faced in designing a study to respond to this request was that the underlying policy problem was unclear and thus difficult to operationalize in a study. As the lead analyst, I used the policy sciences framework to assess the underlying problem and help design the study in the context of multiple federal policies and academic research. The policy sciences framework is useful for analysis of ongoing policy issues because it helps the analyst make sense of the activities, positions, and ideas in a particular policy arena. It helps the analyst create a map of the policy problem to better define the problem and identify possible policy alternatives.
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