Q Copyright 2022 Post University, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Introduction Due: by 11:59 p.m. EST on Sunday at the end of Unit 3 MINI CAPSTONE PROJECT OVERVIEW Your Mini Capstone project will consist of a 15-20 page paper designed, over the duration of this course, to introduce you to specific portions of the Capstone project that you will have to write to complete your degree. You will have multiple deliverables assigned that correspond to the materials being discussed in the readings. You will find this makes the Mini Capstone project seem much more manageable, and you will add to the project as you learn about the various public policy concepts presented in this course. If you work on this each week, the final Mini Capstone project will evolve seamlessly. The Mini Capstone project has four separate assignments and you will be working on these throughout the duration of this course. Here are the specific deliverables: ? Unit 1 Public Policy/Topic Selection o 1 – 2 paragraphs ? Unit 3 Introduction o 1 – 2 pages ? Unit 5 Policy Overiew and Historical Background o 6 – 8 pages ? Unit 7 Stakeholder Analysis, Solution, and Conclusion o 8 – 10 pages NOTE: This Mini Capstone project is based on research - not personal opinion. The tone should be professional. Do not use personal pronouns. You are required to follow APA style, including properly formatted in text citations, a title page, running header and reference page, with properly formatted citations. The Mini Capstone project is an applied policy plan. It requires students to relate theory to practice. It should be clear to the reader that this is not a theoretical or abstract academic exercise, but one that you might do as a professional public administrator. Examples of what might appear in each section have been provided below. Use these as guides, but be aware that they are not comprehensive and you will have to provide much more detail and analysis in your paper. When you submit the final Mini Capstone project at the end of Unit 7, you should incorporate all sections of the project that you worked on for your selected public policy/topic. You will use the feedback provided by your instructor on the assignments submitted in Unit 3 and Unit 5 and apply it to those sections before submitting the final PAD616 – Public Policy Unit 3 Mini Capstone: Introduction Copyright 2022 Post University, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Mini Capstone project. Incorporate the Unit 7 component (Stakeholder Analysis, Solution, and Conclusion) into the final Mini Capstone project file. Do not submit it separately. Your final Mini Capstone project will range between 15-20 pages once it is complete. UNIT 3 MINI CAPSTONE- INTRODUCTION: This component of the Mini Capstone has two sections for the Introduction. The first section entails presenting a problem statement. In the second section, you will provide a brief description of the policy environment and setting. In the third section, you will discuss any relevant legal, political, and regulatory requirements related to the public policy/topic you selected. A. Introduction. This section provides a basic overview of the situation to be analyzed. The Introduction should be approximately 1 to 2 pages in length. The introduction is the broad beginning of the paper that answers three important questions for the readers: 1. What is this about? 2. Why am I reading it? 3. What do you want me to do? The introduction should include: 1. A problem statement. A problem statement answers 4 questions: 1) what is the problem, 2) what is the magnitude of the problem, 3) where is the problem, and 4) why is it important to solve the problem. Problem statements are typically 4-5 sentences. Carefully consider your topic because the paper builds off of the problem statement and ultimately, it provides a measure of whether or not the solution is feasible given the description of the problem. Problem statement example: On April 25, 2014, Flint switched its water supply from the Detroit water system to the Flint River. City leaders hoped that the move would save $5 million. Faced with crippling debt and under the leadership of an emergency manager, the change made financial sense. Almost immediately, however, residents began complaining about water quality. Testing revealed elevated lead and iron levels from untreated water and corroded pipes. Thus began Flint’s public health emergency and a corresponding loss of public trust arising from government failure at every level. Copyright 2022 Post University, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2. Policy environment and setting. Provide a brief description of the policy environment and setting. Put the problem into context. Provide general information about the main idea, explaining the situation so the reader can make sense of the topic. Are there similarly situated organizations or governments facing the same problem? Has the problem been ignored or underestimated by those who have the power and responsibility to effectuate change? Policy environment and setting example: Flint is not the only American city confronting water supply issues. The American Society of Civil Engineers issues a report card on the nation’s infrastructure. In 2013, drinking water infrastructure received a grade of “D”. “At the dawn of the 21st century, much of our drinking water infrastructure is nearing the end of its useful life. There are an estimated 240,000 water main breaks per year in the United States. Assuming every pipe would need to be replaced, the cost over the coming decades could reach more than $1 trillion, according to the American Water Works Association (AWWA).” 3. Legal, political, and regulatory requirements. Discuss any relevant legal, political, and regulatory requirements related to the public policy/topic you selected. Identify and describe the processes that have or will impact your topic. What are the obstacles to resolving the problem? Is new legislation needed? What role does partisan politics play in the issue? What impact have agency regulations had on the problem? Legal, political, and regulatory requirements example: On January 5, 2014, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder declared a state of emergency. On January 12, he mobilized the National Guard to assist with distribution of bottled water and water filters. The federal Environmental Protection Agency has described the state’s response to the crisis as "inadequate to protect public health." President Obama declared a federal state of emergency in Flint on January 16, clearing the way for federal aid to the city by authorizing the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to coordinate responses and cover 75% of the costs for much-needed water, filters, filter cartridges and other items for residents. Examples of what might appear in each section have been provided above. Use these as guides but be aware that they are not comprehensive, and you will have to provide much more detail and analysis in your paper. Remember to include a title and reference page. Students: Be sure to read the criteria in the grading rubric on the next page, by which your paper will be evaluated, before you write, and again after you write. Copyright 2022 Post University, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Evaluation Rubric for Unit 3 Assignment: Introduction CRITERIA Exemplary Proficient Meets Minimal Expectations Unacceptable 20 points 16 – 19 points 12 – 15 points 0 – 11 points Problem Statement Problem statement thoroughly answers all four questions: 1) what is the problem, 2) what is the magnitude of the problem, 3) where is the problem, and 4) why is it important to solve the problem. Problem statement answers three of four questions: 1) what is the problem, 2) what is the magnitude of the problem, 3) where is the problem, and 4) why is it important to solve the problem. Problem statement answers two of four questions: 1) what is the problem, 2) what is the magnitude of the problem, 3) where is the problem, and 4) why is it important to solve the problem. Problem statement is not present or does not answer any of the four questions: 1) what is the problem, 2) what is the magnitude of the problem, 3) where is the problem, and 4) why is it important to solve the problem. 20 points 16 – 19 points 12 – 15 points 0 – 11 points Policy Environment & Setting Thoroughly discusses the following: a brief description of the policy environment and setting; puts the problem into context; and provides general information about the main idea, explaining the situation so the reader can make sense of the topic. Adequately discusses the following: a brief description of the policy environment and setting; puts the problem into context; and provides general information about the main idea, explaining the situation so the reader can make sense of the topic. Brief description of the policy environment and setting is inadequate; problem may or may not have been put into context; and/or did not adequately provide general information about the main idea, making the explanation of the situation unclear to the reader. Does not provide a brief description of the policy environment and setting; or put the problem into context; and does not provide general information about the main idea, to explain the situation so the reader can make sense of the topic. 20 points 16 – 19 points 12 – 15 points 0 – 11 points Legal, Political, and Regulatory Requirements Thoroughly discusses the following: relevant legal, political, and regulatory requirements related to the public policy/topic selected; identifies and describes the processes that have or will impact the topic; and explains the obstacles to Adequately discusses the following: relevant legal, political, and regulatory requirements related to the public policy/topic selected; identifies and describes the processes that have or will impact the topic; and explains the obstacles to Discussion of relevant legal, political, and regulatory requirements related to the public policy/topic selected could be developed further; identifies or describes the processes that have or will impact the topic, but not both; and briefly explains Discussion of relevant legal, political, and regulatory requirements related to the public policy/topic selected is missing or inaccurate; does not identify and describe the processes that have or will impact the topic; and does not explain the Copyright 2022 Post University, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED resolving the problem. resolving the problem. the obstacles to resolving the problem. obstacles to resolving the problem. 15 points 12 – 14 points 9 – 11 points 0 – 8 points Style Coherence Organization Well-planned and well-thought out. All paragraphs have clear ideas, are supported with examples and have smooth transitions. Sentences are complete in thought and concise, eliminating unnecessary words or phrases. Sentence transitions are present. Words used are precise, unambiguous and used properly. The tone is appropriate for the assignment. Good overall organization, includes the main organizational tools. Most paragraphs have clear ideas, are supported with some examples and have transitions. Style and coherence issues are present but do not detract from the overall quality of the paper. The tone is appropriate for the assignment. There is a sense of organization, although some of the organizational tools are used weakly or missing. Some paragraphs have clear ideas, support from examples may be missing and transitions are weak. Style and coherence issues are present and detract from the quality of the paper. The tone is generally appropriate for the assignment. No sense of organization. Paragraphs lack clear ideas with no transition between paragraphs. Style and coherence issues detract from the quality of the paper to the extent that the reader is unable to understand the writer’s meaning. The tone for the assignment is not appropriate. 15 points 12 – 14 points 9 – 11 points 0 – 8 points Grammar Spelling Writing assignment is free of errors in grammar, spelling and punctuation. Writing assignment is mostly free of errors in grammar, spelling and punctuation. Writing assignment contains several minor errors in grammar, spelling and punctuation, but does not detract from content of the passage. Writing assignment contains several errors in grammar, spelling and punctuation which detract from content of the passage. 10 points 8 – 9 points 6 – 7 points 0 – 5 points Format and APA Consistently demonstrates correct use of in-text citations in the appropriate APA format; includes a title and comprehensive reference page. Mostly demonstrates correct use of in-text citations in the appropriate APA format; includes a title and reference page, but it may contain errors. Occasionally demonstrates correct use of in-text citations in the appropriate APA format; a title and reference page is included, but it may be incomplete or contain errors. Did not demonstrate correct use of in-text citations in the appropriate APA format; does not include a title and reference page.