Writing Skills
"Let me see that in writing." How often have you heard this after you have explained a policy or procedure to someone? Also, think about history and the importance of written language in transferring knowledge across generations. Written communication is permanent and therefore has more credibility than other forms of communication. As such, it is crucial that one develops a high proficiency in writing. I have honed my writing skills through numerous memoranda, policy analyses and term papers over the course of the MPA program. Often times, your audience will want to read a short document, so it is important to be able to write concisely without compromising your message. With many of my long papers, I have included executive summaries to highlight the significant points. Here is a policy analysis I wrote on the prospect of congestion pricing in downtown San Francisco, one of the least car-friendly places in the world.
Readers will also appreciate the ability to explain complex or jargon-laden concepts in plain English. Here is a homework assignment I did on inferential statistics, where my conclusions were written in statistical language and in plain English. Also, please find a cost-benefit analysis I did in my microeconomics course. I hope it helps to answer the perennial question, Is it worth it to go to college?