Queen's UNIVERSITY EPID 887 Briefing Note Assignment This document provides the background of a briefing note, the briefing note template for the assignment, and the assignment grading rubric. Due Dates: Aug 31 before 12 noon* Sep 4 before 12 noon* Sep 9 before 9 am Sep 25 before 3:30 pm First draft is due Peer review is due (10% of total grade) Edited briefing note with cover memo (30% of total grade ) is due FINAL briefing note one page, double sided hardcopy to PDO is due *It is important that you submit your draft briefing note and reviews in Aropä before the deadline dates and times otherwise your assignment may not be reviewed and graded. Background Briefing notes help decision makers quickly document, understand, and share evidence that contributes to decisions. A useful briefing note distills often complex information into a short, well- structured document. There are various types of briefing notes but for the purposes of this assignment, you will use a template adapted from Health Evidence and Peel Public Health. Briefing notes usually deal with issues - subjects of debate but they are also prepared for any topic someone needs to be informed about. It might be a policy matter, a situation, a report, or an action by another government or agency. Briefing notes are typically written for decision makers who: · Have to keep track of many, unrelated issues . May not be familiar with the issues and may not have any related background · Need a capsule version of the key points and considerations Characteristics of a good briefing note A well-prepared briefing note quickly and efficiently fills a person in on an issue. The most valuable briefing note is clear, concise, and easy to read. A briefing note should be: Briefing Note Assignment 1
· short: one to two pages, and always as short as possible · concise: a short document isn't necessarily concise; concise means every word is used efficiently as possible · clear: keep it simple and to the point; keep your reader firmly in mind and include only what matters to that reader · reliable: the information in a briefing note must be accurate; sound and dependable and based on evidence; any missing information or questions about the information should be pointed out · readable: use plain language and design your briefing note for maximum readability (use white space, subheadings, lists, bullets, fonts and other means of making reading easier) Structure of a briefing note Briefing notes often follow a standard format but there are many variations; however, they have three main parts: · purpose: usually stated as the issue, topic, or purpose · a summary of the facts: what this section contains and the headings will be determined by the purpose of the briefing note · conclusion: this may be a conclusion, recommendation, advice, actions or both Tips for Writing your Briefing Note · Look at the briefing note examples provided in onQ, online, and at your host organization. .