1

Foundations of Public Administration PAD 500 – Fall 2016

Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy, SUNY Albany Department of Public Administration and Policy

Professor Jennifer E. Dodge

Class time: Monday 1:40pm – 5:20pm Office location: Milne Hall 308 Class location: Husted 214 Office phone: 442-5274 Office Hours: Wednesday 2:00-3:00 pm and by appointment Email: jdodge@albany.edu Course Description This course is designed to provide students with an introduction to the field of public administration including its practice, themes and values, and contemporary challenges. As broadly defined by Woodrow Wilson in 1887, public administration is “government in action.” It includes activities taken directly by government, or indirectly by its partners, to meet the democratically expressed needs of the public. These activities include policy design, implementation, evaluation of outcomes, and re-design or re-direction.

By the end of the course, students should be able to: 1) think strategically about public administration problems and their solutions; 2) analyze and evaluate various means for assuring administrative accountability and responsiveness; 3) analyze and evaluate challenges associated with implementing public programs through both governmental and non-governmental actors and 4) think critically about competing demands that public administrators face (between, for example, accountability, authority, democracy, inclusiveness, and fairness). Students should leave the course with a substantive, applied understanding of the values and practices of public administration. Text Books You may purchase the required book through Mary Jane books at 215 Western Avenue. Required

Moore, M. (1995). Creating public value: Strategic management in government. Cambridge,

MA: Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0674175587

Recommended introductions to American and New York Politics and Government:

Coleman, J. J., Goldstein, K. M., & Howell, W. G. (2012). Understanding American politics and

government (3rd ed.). Pearson. ISBN 978-0205875207

Ward, R. B. (2006). New York State government (2nd ed.). Albany, NY: Rockefeller Institute Press.

ISBN 1-930912-15-3 ISBN 1-930912-16-1

Additional readings will be posted on Blackboard at https://blackboard.albany.edu/. Use the same login and password required for MyUAlbany.

2

Assignments

General guidelines:

Memos:

Due dates for memos are listed below under “memos” and in the course schedule. Submit all memos under the assignments folder in Blackboard by 11:59pm on the designated date.

Write all memos in complete sentences and paragraphs, double-spaced, with one-inch margins, Times New Roman 12 point font, and number the pages. I will return memos that do not meet these guidelines to be rewritten.

Be sure to include your name, the memo number (e.g., “Memo 1”), the course number and the instructor’s name at the top of your memo. You can do this in 1 or 2 lines.

The length of each memo is specified in separate instructions. You can provide tables and figures to support your arguments; place them at the end of the paper. Bibliographies, tables and figures do not count towards page length. Please do not include cover pages.

All references should be cited in MLA style. Formatting instructions can be found at http://library.albany.edu/cfox?type=mla. For further guidelines and a list of appropriate sources see Appendix A.

Commentaries:

All commentaries are due (submitted electronically) the Sunday before class at 11:59pm. You must submit your commentary by 11:59 pm on the Sunday prior to class or the assignment will expire (in other words, you will no longer have access to submit it).

Commentaries should be approximately 300 words (or less) in length. News briefs:

All news briefs are due (submitted electronically) the day before the assigned class at 11:59pm, and students will present them in class the following day.

All news briefs should be created in power point with no more than 5 slides, and should take no more than 10 minutes to present.

You must get the instructor’s permission to use a specific news story for your news brief. You must get permission one week before your presentation is due.

Memos

To assess your understanding of the course material and your ability to apply concepts to real-life cases of government action, students will write three memos during the semester. Each memo will require students to use coursework to understand real public administration challenges. The memos will require students to conduct independent research. Additional details about the exact questions and length of each assignment will be distributed separately in class. Be sure to use a memo format, see the example on Blackboard in the “writing resources” folder.

Pre-Writing Tasks. To improve the quality of memos, you may submit for feedback a one-page summary of the major arguments of your memo one week before each assignment is due. Submit your summaries electronically only via blackboard, do not email me. I will provide you with feedback on the summaries within 2-3 days, via Blackboard. I will not accept late submissions of summaries.

3

Memo Due Dates

1-Page Draft Final

Memo 1 September 24 11:59pm October 1 11:59pm

Memo 2 October 29 11:59pm November 5 11:59pm

Memo 3 December 10 11:59pm December 17 11:59pm

Commentaries

Students are required to submit weekly commentaries that relate to assigned readings for 10 (and only 10) of the last 13 classes – there is no commentary for class 1. On some days I will require these responses, on others you may choose to submit one or not. Guiding questions for commentaries are included in the commentary assignments on Blackboard. You may answer the guiding questions or you may submit 2 comments and/or questions that the readings raise for you. For example, you may focus on something you find interesting, surprising, or disagreeable, or you may “connect the dots” between assigned readings and a case. But you should not summarize the reading. These commentaries are intended to help you prepare for class discussion, and give me a sense of how well you understand and can apply course concepts prior to lectures. I will not accept late submissions of commentaries. You may not submit additional commentaries for extra credit. News Brief

Students are required to write and present 1 news brief during the semester with another student. The news brief must draw on a real-life example that is currently in the news and that relates to the readings for that day. Your news brief should summarize the key points of a current news story, and make two points or raise two questions about the story based on the reading. For example, if the day’s reading is about public participation, you could bring in a news story about participatory budgeting and discuss how well it is designed. We will assign students to topics during the first class of the semester. You should be prepared to share your news brief in a power point format during the relevant class. Grading Student performance in the course will be determined as follows:

Memos 60 % (20% for each memo) Commentaries 20 % (2% for each commentary) Attendance 14 % (1% for each day of class) News Brief 6 % (6% for the news brief)

4

Grading Criteria Memos – I will assess memos based on a single grading rubric attached in Appendix B and

posted on Blackboard. In general, submissions will be assessed according to 1) the degree to which the student answered the question in a sophisticated manner, 2) the degree to which the student illustrated a complete understanding of the course material, 3) the overall organization and professionalism of the paper, and 4) the degree to which formatting and citation guidelines were followed.

Commentaries – I will assess commentaries based on the degree to which you demonstrate 1) that you have read the material and 2) that you have thought critically about it (i.e., your comments go beyond summary to apply course concepts to your own practice, past or current public administration situations, or study cases).

News briefs – I will assess the news briefs based on the degree to which 1) you clearly explain the news story, 2) you clearly relate the story to course readings for the day, and 3) you raise relevant questions about the course readings.

Attendance – Attendance will be measured by your presence in the classroom, and stands as a proxy for your commitment to the course. If you do not attend class, you will not receive credit for attendance that day. I understand that sometimes there are circumstances related to professional and personal obligations that will require students to be absent on certain days.

Late assignments - For every 24-hour period that a memo is late, the grade will be reduced by 1 point from the 20 point scale. The first 24-hour period begins on midnight the day the assignment is due. Grading Scale

A: 93-100 A-: 90-92.99 B+: 87-89.99 B: 83-86.99

B-: 80-82.99 C+: 77-79.99 C: 73-76.99 C-: 70-72.99

D+: 67-69.99 D: 63-66.99 D-: 60-62.99 E: below 60

Grade appeals - Students may appeal a grade on a specific assignment within two weeks of the assignment being returned. To submit an appeal, the student should email the professor with the original graded assignment and a letter/memo outlining why you think the grade should be changed. In the appeal, students must identify 1) the specific issue you believe should be reconsidered and 2) evidence from assignment instructions, assigned readings, lectures, or other materials that would indicate your original submission is worthy of a higher grade. Be aware that your grade may go up, down, or remain the same as a result of your appeal.

Communication - Students are invited to ask questions in class, during office hours, or via email. The best way to contact me outside of class is by email. I will usually respond to emails within 24 hours. If you send an email to me after 6pm, I may not respond until the following day. Please check your email regularly for emails from me as well.

5

Other policies Academic Integrity - As members of the SUNY community, we are all expected to adhere to

high standards of intellectual and academic integrity. You can view our Academic Code at: http://www.albany.edu/content_images/AcademicIntegrity.pdf. Violations of these standards will result in one of the following penalties or some variant: revision and re-submission of the assignment, reduction of the grade or failure of the assignment, reduction of the course grade or failure of the course, filing of a case with the Office of Conflict Resolution and Civic Responsibility, suspension, or expulsion. In all cases, a Violation of Academic Integrity Report will be submitted to the Dean of Graduate Studies to be placed in your university file, with copies provided to you, the department head, and the Dean of Rockefeller College.

See Appendix C for a description of how this course seeks to prepare students to develop their competencies in the five areas identified by the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA).

Students with needs consistent with the Americans with Disability Act should inform the instructor during the first week of class so that reasonable accommodations can be made.

This syllabus serves as a general outline. The instructor reserves the right to deviate from the plan if necessary. Students will be notified promptly of any modifications.

Students who have previously taken PAD 500 and are repeating it will be required to submit memo assignments that contain entirely new material compared to assignments that have been previously submitted to PAD 500 for a grade. Resubmitted assignments will be considered plagiarized. They also create an inequity with other students in the class who have not benefited from prior feedback, and reflect a lack of effort to achieve academic excellence.

6

Course Schedule UNIT ONE: CONCEPTUAL FOUNDATIONS

Class 1 (August 29): Introduction

Emerson, S., Menkus, R., & VanNess, K. (2011). Chapters 1 and 2. In The public administrator’s companion: A practical guide (pp. 2-42). Washington, DC: CQ Press.

The readings for next class are long and challenging. Start reading early!! *** September 5 – No Class – Labor Day *** Class 2 (September 12): The foundations of public administration

Wilson, W. (1887). The study of administration. Political Science Quarterly, 2(2), 197-222.

Weber, M. (1947). Bureaucracy. In J. Shafritz & A. Hyde (Eds.), Classics of public

administration (6th ed.) (pp. 43-49). Boston, MA: Thomas Wordsworth.

Kaufman, H. (1956). Emerging conflicts in the doctrines of public administration. American

Political Science Review, 50(4), read only pages 1057-1067.

Rourke, F. (1987). Bureaucracy in the American constitutional order. Political Science Quarterly, 102(2), 217-232.

Recommended:

Kettl, D. (2002). Administrative traditions. In The transformation of governance: Public administration for 21st century America (pp. 26-49). Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press.

Class 3 (September 19): Accountability

Friedrich, C. (1940). Public policy and the nature of administrative responsibility. Public Policy, 1(1), 3-24.

Finer, F. (1941). Administrative responsibility in democratic government. Public Administration Review, 1(4), 335-350.

Romzek, B. S. & Dubnick, M. J. (1987). Accountability in the public sector: Lessons from the challenger tragedy. Public Administration Review, 47(3), 227-238.

Eisenhardt, K. (1989). Agency theory: An assessment and review. Academy of Management Review, 14(1), read only pages 57-65.

Memo #1 Draft due: Saturday, September 24 11:59pm.

Class 4 (September 26): Strategic management

Moore: Chapters 1, 2, and 3.

Case: Managing Cutbacks at the Department of Social and Health Services. Memo #1 due: Saturday, October 1 at 11:59pm.

*** October 3 – No Class – Rosh Hashanah ***

7

UNIT TWO: INSIDE THE BUREAUCRACY… AND ITS BORDERS Class 5 (October 10): Decisionmaking in a Political Environment

Moore: Chapters 4 and 5 (pp. 106-189).

Eden, C. & Ackermann, F. (1998). Stakeholder analysis and management. In Making strategy: The journey of strategic management (pp. 113-135). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Case: Puget Sound Water Quality Authority.

Recommended:

Kettl, D. & Fesler, J. (2011). Decisionmaking. In The politics of the administrative process (5th

ed.) (pp. 317-349; 350-356 may also be helpful).

Fry, B. R. & Raadschelders, J. C. N. (2008). Herbert A. Simon: A decision-making perspectives. In Mastering public administration from Max Weber to Dwight Waldo, (2nd ed.) (pp. 211-257). Washington, DC: CQ Press. (Focus on section on individual decision making p. 221+)

Class 6 (October 17): Decisionmaking and Public Participation

Fung, A. (2003). Survey article: Recipes for public spheres: Eight institutional design choices

and their consequences. The Journal of Political Philosophy, 11(3), 338-367.

Case: Dodge, J. (2010). Tensions in deliberative practice: A view from civil society. Critical

Policy Studies, 4(4), 384-404.

Case: E-PARC Case. “Elusive community in South Park,” Parts A & B.

Recommended:

Nabatchi, T. (2010). Addressing the citizenship and democratic deficits: The potential of

deliberative democracy for public administration. The American Review of Public

Administration, 40(4), 376-399.

Class 7 (October 24): Equity and Fairness

Fredrickson, H. G. (2010). Social equity and public administration: Origins, developments, and applications. M.E. Sharpe. (Chapter 1, pp. 6-11: “What is new public administration?”; Chapter 2, pp. 38-42: “Social equity and public administration”; Chapter 3, pp. 49-58: “Social equity: The democratic context and the compound theory”)

Case: California Drought and Inequality:

Bliss, L. (2015, October 8). California’s drought is about economic inequality. MotherJones. Retrieved from http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2015/10/san-joaquin-valley-communities-no-running-water-drought

Ortiz, W. (2015, March 5). Lessons on climate change and poverty from the California drought. Retrieved from https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/poverty/report/2015/08/19/119446/lessons-on-climate-change-and-poverty-from-the-california-drought/

Shonkoff, S., Morello-Frosch, R., Pastor, M., & Sadd, J. (2009). Environmental health and equity impacts from climate change and mitigation policies in California: A review of the literature. California Climate Change Center.

8

Memo #2 draft due Saturday October 29 at 11:59pm.

Class 8 (October 31): Direct Government and Street Level Bureaucrats

Lipsky, M. (2010). Street-level bureaucracy: Dilemmas of the individual in public service (30th

anniversary expanded ed.). New York, NY: Russell Sage Foundation.

o Chapter 1: The critical role of street-level bureaucrats (pp. 3-13).

o Chapter 2: Street-level bureaucrats as policy makers (pp. 13-26).

Maynard-Moody, S., & Musheno, M. (2003). Chapters 8 and 9. Cops, teachers, counselors:

Stories from the front lines of public service. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press.

Case: Prosecutorial discretion in the Immigration Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE).

Memo #2 due Saturday November 5 at 11:59pm.

Class 9 (November 7): Managing Public Employees

Shafritz, J. M., Russell, E. W., & Borick, C. P. (eds.) (2009). Chapter 11: Personnel

management and labor relations. In Introducing public administration (6th ed.).

Ospina, S. & O’Sullivan, J. (2003). Working together: Meeting the challenges of workforce

diversity. In S. Hays and R. Kearney (Eds.), Public personnel administration: Problems and

prospects (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Pynes, J. (2009). Labor-management relations: Collective bargaining in the public and non-

profit Sectors. In Human resources management for public and non-profit organizations: A

strategic approach (3rd ed.) (pp. 339-367). John Wiley & Sons.

Case: Recruitment at Southwood School.

9

UNIT THREE: FROM GOVERNMENT TO GOVERNANCE Class 10 (November 14): Contracting Part I

Kelman, S. J. (2002). Chapter 9: Contracting. In L. M. Salamon (Ed.), The tools of government: A guide to the new governance (pp. 282-318). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

Brown, T. & Potowski, M. (2005). Transaction costs and contracting: The practitioner perspective. Public Performance and Management Review, 28(3), 326-351.

Case: Aman Jr., A. (2007). An administrative law perspective on government social service contracts: Outsourcing prison health care in New York City. Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies, 14(2), 301-328.

Class 11 (November 21): Contracting Part II

Reread Eisenhardt, K. (1989). Agency theory: An assessment and review. Academy of Management Review, 14(1), read only pages 57-65.

Case: Hurricane Katrina and Housing Contracts: o Hsu, S. S. (2007, July 20). FEMA knew of toxic gas in trailers; hurricane victims reported

illnesses. The Washington Post. (Provides an overview of the issue.) o United States Government Accountability Office (GAO). (2007, November). Hurricane

Katrina: Ineffective FEMA oversight of housing maintenance contracts in Mississippi

resulted in millions of dollars of waste and potential fraud. Retrieved from

http://www.gao.gov/assets/270/269554.html

o United States House of Representatives 110 Congress. (2008, July 9). Manufacturers of

FEMA trailers and elevated formaldehyde levels. Hearing before the Committee on

Oversight and Government Reform Second Session. Retrieved from

https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CHRG-110hhrg47995/html/CHRG-110hhrg47995.htm

Class 12 (November 28): Governing the Hollow State… Service Networks

Milward, B., & Proven, K. (2000). Governing the hollow state. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 10(2), 359-379.

Bardach, E. & Lesser, C. (1996). Accountability in human services collaboratives – for what? And to whom? Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 6(2), 197-224.

Saz-Carranza, A. & Ospina, S. M. (2011). The behavioral dimension of governing interorganizational goal-directed networks—managing the unity-diversity tension. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 21, 327-365.

Case: Rainforest Negotiation.

Review active listening strategies at http://www.write-out-loud.com/effective-listening-skills.html (for case exercise).

Recommended:

VanSlyke, D. M. (2006). Agents or stewards: Using theory to understand the government-nonprofit social service contracting relationship, Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 17, 157-187.

10

Class 13 (December 5): Operating in a Shared Power World… Cross-Sector Networks

Bryson, J. M., Crosby, B. C. & Stone, M. M. (2006). The design and implementation of cross-sector collaborations: Propositions from the literature. Public Administration Review, 66, 44-55.

o NOTE: This model is covered in the Simo & Beis reading below in a shorter format. If you have to make choices about what you read, you may begin with the Simo & Beis reading and refer back to this one if you need greater clarification of the model.

Simo, G. & Bies, A. L. (2007). The role of nonprofits in disaster response: An expanded model of cross-sector collaboration. Public Administration Review, 67, 125-142.

Babiak, K. & Thibault, L. (2009). Challenges in multiple cross-sector partnerships. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 38(1), 117-143.

Case: Rainforest Negotiation (Continued).

Hoppe, R. (2010). Chapter 3: Analyzing policy problems: A problem-structuring approach. In The governance of problems: Puzzling powering and participation (pp. 59-89). Portland, OR: The Policy Press.

Memo #3 draft due Saturday December 10 at 11:59pm.

Class 14 (December 12): Meta-Governance

Whitehead, M. (2003). In the shadow of hierarchy: Meta-governance, policy reform, and urban regeneration in the West Midlands. Area, 35(1): 6-14.

Innes, J. E. and Booher, D. E. (2007). Consensus building and complex adaptive systems.

Journal of the American Planning Association, 65(4), p. 412-423.

Case: Rainforest Negotiation (Continued).

Memo #3 due Saturday December 17 at 11:59pm.

11

Appendix A: Citations and Sources Citations. Include a bibliography in each memo. Students are to cite sources in a manner

consistent with academic honesty policies. I would rather you include too many citations rather than too few. As a general rule of thumb, provide a citation for anything you did not know before you began your research. In-text citations and the bibliography should be formatted in MLA style. See the on-line help sheets at University at Albany’s citation fox website at http://library.albany.edu/cfox?type=mla. This reference explains how to cite references in the works cited section (bibliography) of your paper and how to cite references in the text of your memo.

Acceptable Sources. Generally, your research should use primary sources more than secondary

sources. Primary sources include, but are not limited to, government reports, legislative hearings and testimonies, court decisions, and government auditor reports. Secondary sources are summaries and interpretations of primary sources. Secondary sources include, but are not limited to, articles from major newspapers and news magazines, network and cable news programs, and academic research. Blogs and Wikipedia are not acceptable sources. Be an intelligent consumer of information by evaluating secondary sources for potential political bias. If it is well known that a particular source is liberal or conservative, you must compensate for this in the paper. Acknowledge its bias and balance the information with something from a source on the other side of the political spectrum. Here are some places to start with your research, but feel free to consult other sources:

• Congressional testimony (available through Lexis/Nexis via the library) and reports completed by Congressional committee staff

• Agency Inspector General reports • Congressional Research Service reports (opencrs.com and scattered elsewhere around the

internet) • U.S. Government Accountability Office reports (www.gao.gov) • Academic research published in public administration or political science journals such as:

Public Administration Review, Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, American Review of Public Administration, Administration and Society, Journal of Public Policy Analysis and Management, American Political Science Review, American Journal of Political Science, and Journal of Politics, etc.

When citing government documents, follow the formatting guidelines in Rubin’s Modified MLA Formatting for Government Documents, posted on Blackboard under: Course Content > Writing Resources.

12

Appendix B: Grading Rubric for All Memo Assignments, PAD 500, Prof. Dodge

Excellent (2) Average (1.5) Needs Improvement (1)

Substance

Demonstrates sharp understanding of theory

Demonstrates adequate understanding of theory

Demonstrates poor understanding of theory

Applies theory so that arguments link conceptual ideas to evidence from the case

Applies theory but link between conceptual ideas and evidence from the case is unclear at times

Does not apply theory at all or the link between conceptual ideas and evidence from the case is often unclear

Makes arguments that are substantive Makes arguments that are substantive in a majority of cases

Makes arguments that are superficial

Shows a sharp understanding of the complex management/policy questions

Shows an adequate understanding of the management/policy questions

Shows a poor understanding of the management/policy questions

Provides sufficient, clear and balanced evidence

Provides evidence that is either insufficient, unclear or unbalanced

Provides evidence that is insufficient, unclear or unbalanced

Organization

Organizes overall memo into logical sections.

Organizes overall memo into logical sections, although some sections are poorly ordered.

Overall memo is not well organized; sections are missing and/or are poorly ordered.

Arranges ideas within each section in a logical manner that supports the purpose or argument.

Generally arranges ideas within each section in a logical manner, although some sections are confusing.

Generally ideas within each section are not logically ordered, and many sections are confusing.

Writes without spelling, grammar or English errors from start to finish.

Writes with occasional spelling, grammar, and/or use of English errors.

Writes with many spelling, grammar, and/or use of English errors.

Formatting Follows MLA formatting for citations in the text and bibliography. Sources in the bibliography are listed in alphabetical order. A majority of citations are from primary sources.

One of these conditions was not met. More than one of these conditions was not met.

Follows formatting instructions including length, font, margins, and the numbering of pages.

One of these conditions was not present. More than one of these conditions was not present.

13

Appendix C: MPA Core Competencies

On the first day of Welcome Week and at the beginning of PAD 507, students are introduced to the five competencies identified by the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA). Overall, the competencies are intended to ensure MPA students are well-rounded academically and professionally in the core subject areas important to the field.

What are competencies?

Competencies are a bundle of knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors that, when fully integrated, define successful performance.

Competencies are broader than knowing how to use Excel or being able to define what marginal cost means. Competencies are also broader than job tasks. They describe the characteristics of the person who does the job best. They describe the whole person and their total performance.

The five NASPAA competencies are:

1. The ability to lead and manage in public governance 2. To participate in and contribute to the policy process 3. To analyze, synthesize, think critically, solve problems and make decisions 4. To articulate and apply a public service perspective 5. To communicate and interact productively with a diverse and changing workforce

and citizenry This course is designed to build student competency in all five areas. For example:

Competency #1: In this course we will discuss the importance of defining organizational strategy and using that strategy to make decisions. We will spend a great deal of time discussing accountability and different means for achieving it. A number of weeks will be spent discussing third-party government and how to manage in this type of delegated environment.

Competency #2: As part of the discussion on third-party government we will discuss how to choose network partners, strategies for forming networks, and how to develop accountability mechanisms to make networks function effectively. Furthermore, we will discuss the importance of identifying and evaluating stakeholders, and developing strategies for different types of involvement in the decision making process.

Competency #3: Through extensive use of case studies, we will analyze public management and policy problems by discussing the mistakes and successes of others. Students will be asked to divide problems into different parts, analyze the problems from the perspectives of different stakeholders, and develop proposed solutions.

Competency #4: Students will explore questions of equity and inclusiveness through the use of cases and debates regarding the appropriate use of discretion by public servants. Through various assignments throughout the course, students will analyze the competing values in public administration in specific cases and how different emphases may generate different results.

Competency #5: Writing assignments will require students to evaluate cases, using evidence to support arguments, and to communicate analysis in a highly organized manner. Teamwork will develop skills in working with diverse groups and providing constructive feedback.

14

KEY FOR COMMON EDITING MARKS

(Shamelessly adapted from E. Martin)

CL Clarify. The point you are trying to make here needs to be developed and clarified. I do not understand the message you are trying to convey.

INF Informal Writing Style. Your writing style here is too casual and informal; this is not appropriate for a professional audience.

AWK Awkward. This sentence or phrase is awkward. Read this sentence out loud and think of a better way to write it.

UN Unnecessary. Think about the organizational structure of your paper and whether this material is necessary for the point you are making here.

RED Redundant. You have already made this point. Check the organizational structure of your paper and decide the best location for this idea.

ORG Organization. The organization and structure of your paper is not clear. I cannot tell where you are going. Develop a clear organization and make it explicit in your paper as you move through the text.

EL Elaborate. Unpack this idea. Elaborate on this point.

W Wordy. Think of a more succinct way to say this.

EV Evidence. You need to back up this claim with some evidence, such as a citation and/or a statistic and/or a logic-based argument. If this is your personal opinion, make it clear that it is an opinion and not a fact.

GP Good Point. This is a good point. For example, this represents good argumentation, good use of class material, or good use of evidence to support your claim.

Red Flag. There is a flaw in the argumentation, there is an inconsistency, or there is a factual error.

GRM Grammar Problem. There is something grammatically incorrect with the text inside the brackets. Rewrite this text to remove the grammatical or spelling error(s).

CON Contractions. Avoid contractions (doesn’t, don’t, won’t) in professional writing.

CIT Citation. A citation is missing here, or there is some problem with the formatting of your citations. Be sure to cite all ideas that you did not know before you did your research. And make sure that your citations are done properly.