531 Class Assignments

All individual assignments should be posted to the class drop box by 8:00 am on the day they are due. 10% of total score will be subtracted for late assignments.

   
Assignment Date Due Points

Public Health Nutrition Program/Organization

Student Sign Up Sheet

 

February 14 40

Class preparations & participation

Discussion Worksheets (4 @ 12 points each)

Active participation in class exercises, informed contributions to class learning (12 points)

 

  60

Science to Policy Paper

 

 

March 15

60

Water Access Project

March 19

 

200

 

Total   360

 

Public Health Nutrition Programs & Organizations

Objectives:

  1. Students will be able to use systematic frameworks to analyze public health nutrition initiatives
  2. Students will be able to organize and synthesize information from several sources into a concise document (one-pager described below) and presentation.
  3. Students will be able to utilize public health nutrition resources for individuals and populations in their work.

Process:

  1. Students will sign up for a public health nutrition program or organization on the first day of class.
  2. Students will gather the following information from legislation, published evaluations, materials provided by the program/organizations, peer reviewed literature, key informants, commentaries and critiques
  1. Students will make a 10 minute presentation to the class that covers the points listed above and will prepare a one page hand-out to distribute to the class. Students will post slides and handout to the course dropbox.

Evaluation

  Points
Addresses all the points listed above 25
Critical Thinking: Demonstrates clear understanding of the program/organization & ability to analyze& synthesize information from several sources 5
Clarity and organization of the class presentation 5
Clarity and organization of the handout 5
Total 40

 

 

 

Science to Policy Paper

Objectives

Template for Science to Policy Proposal

Science to Policy Paper Process

Process

  1. Choose a nutrition topic that is the subject of active research and policy deliberations.
  2. Prepare a proposal for this paper using the template from above and make 4 copies to share with your peers on January 31.  Also post a copy of the completed proposal to the course dropbox before class on January 31.
  3. Describe the state of the science about this topic including any recent peer-reviewed meta-analysis, well done reviews, any rigorous clinical trials with adequate power and designs, etc.  Describe the current state of this evidence and outline any limitations of current knowledge using established criteria for strength of the scientific evidence and the Hierarchy of Evidence. Provide a short summary of the evidence that can be understood by a well informed adult who is not a nutrition scientist.
  4. Discuss clinical or population-based applications of the basic science.  Support this discussion with research, guidelines or recommendations that have been based on evidence about this nutritional issue.
  5. Discuss policy implications of the science about this topic.  Are there existing policies in the US?  In other countries?  What is the impact of existing policies?  What additional research is needed to support policy change? 
  6. Recommend at least one policy change.  Who would support this change?  Who might oppose this change?  What steps could be taken to initiate this policy change?
  7. Compile these elements into a five page double spaced document as a policy report that is intended to inform someone who might be making decisions about policy development in this arena.  The 5 page limit does not include a cover page and references.  Revise to make the information accessible to a non-expert.  Edit for simplicity and clarity. Delete jargon, passive voice, complicated sentences, extra words, etc. Use appropriate headings, sections and bullets to make it easy to follow each set of information or arguments. Use WA State Plain Talk guidelines.  Indicate readability level at the top of the document's first page.
  8. Prepare a one page executive summary for your intended audience that uses bullets, call out boxes and white space to make it easy to grasp the meaning of the brief in 30 seconds. Edit and revise, have your peers, family and others read it, and then edit and revise again.
  9. Post the final documents to the class dropbox before March 15, 2011.
Note: This assignment is much easier if you choose a topic for which there is: a body of scientific literature, existing recommendations from reputable organizations, and credible policy solutions.  Possible sources of ideas for such topics are attached.

 

Timeline

Week 1 - 3

  1. Choose a Science to Policy topic.
  2. Complete a review of the peer reviewed literature and summarize the state of the knowledge in this area.  Write this section of your paper in two, double spaced pages.
  3. Prepare a bulleted list of guidelines and recommendations made by national organizations and agencies.
  4. Prepare a list of potential policies that could be used to implement these recommendations.
  5. Prepare a list of discussion questions about the policy environment (who would support, who would oppose, motivations, feasibility, etc.), the state of the science about the topic and the strength of the argument to make changes based on that science, and your policy recommendations to use to take full advantage of the class-time discussions about your topic. 
  6. Bring the materials prepared in steps 2-5 to class on January 31 to support the presentation of your project ideas to your peers.
  7. Complete Template for Science to Policy Proposal

Week 5

 

  1. Post the proposal template to the class drop box and bring copies of the completed proposal template to class.
  2. Come to class on January 31 prepared to be an active participant in a small group discussion with others who have similar topics.

Week 5-10

  1. Compile drafts of the report and a one-page policy brief.  Edit for clarity.  Ask colleagues, friends, family to review.  Edit again.

Week 11

  1. Submit five page report and one page brief.

 

Evaluation:  Criteria for each Component

 

Points

Science to Policy Paper

Concise and comprehensive presentation of current state of basic science and level of evidence of existing science

10

Review of existing policies, recommendations & guidelines - accuracy, completeness and thoroughness

10

Sophistication of the analysis of those who would support and those who would oppose

10

Strength and organization of arguments made for chosen proposed policy change (s)

10

Organization of paper, flow, introduction & conclusions

6

Quality of writing - compliance with plain talk guidelines, simplicity of sentences, readability level

10

Quality of references

4

Total points

60

 

 

 

 

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