Policy Analysis and Advocacy Skills

The Policy Lab teaches the skills necessary to research and communicate complex policy assessments to elite decision makers and policy makers as well as lay audiences. Skills workshops guide students through empirical design techniques and the communications skills needed to translate complex analysis into written, oral, and digital modes of assessment, action, and persuasion.

Policy analysis workshops introduce research design ranging from case studies to experiments to statistical analysis.

Writing and communications workshops teach both empirical and persuasive styles and genres, including project proposals, position papers, briefing books, and white papers, as well as the iconic short memo. With attention to the ethics of persuasion, students learn how competing constituencies frame and communicate key ideas and values.

Data visualization workshops feature graphic design techniques for complex data. Digital workshops demonstrate how to leverage online and digital technologies on behalf of law and policy.

Workshops Offered Throughout the Academic Year

Watch Our Skills Videos

Writing Workshops

Media Relations Workshops

Public Speaking Workshops

  • “What’s Your Elevator Pitch?”
  • “Oral Briefings and Briefing Books”
  • “Presenting Your Work at a Professional Conference”
  • “The Art of the Ask: Strategies for Effective Fundraising”

Digital Communications Workshops

  • “Effective PowerPoint for Policy Briefings”
  • “Visualizing Data: Effective Graphics for Policy Briefings and Presentations”
  • “Using Twitter Effectively for Law and Policy”
  • “Storytelling with a Video Camera: Part I – Basic Principles”
  • “Writing and Maintaining a Policy Blog”
  • “Strategic Social Media Tools for Public Engagement on Policy Debates”

Advocacy Communications

  • “Framing for Politics and Policy”
  • “Persuasive Argument Through Psychological Heuristics”

Workshops are offered upon request throughout the academic year. Practicums may request workshops adapted to their specific needs. Students may also request workshops according to their needs and schedules. Please contact Lecturer Luciana Herman (lherman@stanford.edu) to schedule a workshop.