PPL 201: Introduction to Public Policy Midterm Exam

Identify a policy question you would ask about use of libraries at the University of Kentucky

How will UK mandates of a student going to the library a minimum of 3 hours per week increase GPA

Identify a research question about use of libraries at the University of Kentucky

What are the benefits of going to the library have on a students GPA

Identify one strategy to encourage ethical practices in policy research

Do not take advantage of vulnerable people ex. Children and elderly

Identify the three common rationales for government action

1. Market Failures (Public goods, externalities, & natural monopolies)

2. Needing resources for larger projects (ex. Highway interstate system)

3. Implementing values, either individual or collective

According to Kingdon’s Multiple Streams Framework, what three factors influence when a policy window opens

1. Is there a problem

2. Are there solutions to the problem

3. Is the political climate right/a will to act

What is agenda-setting and why is it an important component of the policy process?

Agenda-setting involves competition between groups to get their issue on the agenda. There are 4 stages: agenda universe, systemic agenda, institutional agenda, and decision agenda. Once an issue is on the agenda it tells people/government what issues are being considered and to start thinking about policy solutions.

What are policy issue networks (or subgovernments) and why are they imporant?

Issue networks/subgovernments are a collection of both official and unofficial actors who have a stake in the policy. They are able to influence the policy process.

Identify at least 4 categories of policy tools that we discussed in class as “Things Governments Do”

• taxes

• Subsidies and grants

• Agency provisions

• Information

Why is it challenging that a specific policy caused a change in outcomes?

Because there can be multiple variables that caused the change

In the absence of experimental conditions, what is a research strategy that policy scholars can use to establish causal links between policies and outcomes.

Difference-in-differences

What role does the office of management and budget have in the federal budget process?

Works with the president to submit a budget to the congressional budget office

What role does the Congressional Budget Office have on the federal budget process

Revises the budget to create a polished one to be sent to congress

What is an example of horizontal coordination in policy implementation

KY dept. of Ag. Working with Kentucky’s Energy Dept. to implement a policy

Identify at least one official document that reports information about the amount of state funding allocated from the Kentucky’s General Assembly to the University of Kentucky

Kentucky’s Budget

What are the largest two sources of revenue for Kenucky’’s General fund

Income taxes and sales tax

Identify one characteristic that differentiates policy writing from scholarly or academic writing

Policy writing uses simpler language than scholarly/academic writing