Instructions to the Authors of the Policy Briefs

Authors who intend to submit their respective policy briefs should ensure that they follow and stick to the following instructions. Your policy brief should have a minimum of the following contents.

1          Title

Please ensure that the title is short and to the point (maximum of 15 words). Make it sticky

2          Name of co-authors

The names of policy brief co-authors should be written and appear immediately after the title.

3          Introduction

This section is intended to grab the readers attention. It should include the Summary/Overview which should summarize the contents, including conclusions and recommendations, in one or two short paragraphs. The following key points should be adhered at.

- State why it is an important issue

- Give highlights of findings

- Indicate whether actions are recommended

Also, this section should include the background which should explain why this issue is important. You should include background information/data on the country, area, issue or program presented. State what previous research has shown or what previous policies/programs have achieved (or not)

4          Key Messages

Under this section, you should present the research findings.  You should divide your findings into issue areas, presented in subsections. Include tables or graphs to support your principal findings (embed in text). Ensure that you number your figures and refer to them in the text. The section should also include the implications/policy actions (why do something differently, what to do/what not). The following points should be considered;

 - Explain why the research findings are important for policies:

- What policy issues arise from the findings?

- Are there underlying causes to be addressed?

- Is the evidence sufficient to support action now?

- Mention whether solutions have been tried, and whether they have been effective

5          Recommendations

Recommendations should target on what to implement. It should flow from evidence presented. Give specific interventions or actions needed, and by whom. You should support the recommendations with your findings and other literature/experience on the topic. Always, start with an action verb and make them SMART

6          Conclusion

Conclusions should be brief (because they should have appeared earlier). It should remind the reader why action is needed, and the consequences of inaction. You should consider adding a positive note that looks toward the future

7          Reference Format and Style

All the references appearing in the text body should be listed in this section. An example of reference style is as shown below

Mujinja, P.G.M., Mackintosh, M., Justin-Temu, M., Wuyts, M. (2014). Local production of pharmaceuticals in Africa and access to essential medicines. Globalization & Health, 10(12) 1–12.

Medical Supplies Department (MSD) (2013). Medium Term Strategic Plan II 2014 – 2020. Dar es Salaam, October.

8         Partnering/Participating Institutions

The names, contact information and logos of the participating and partnering institutions should be presented in this section.

9          Length of the Policy Brief

Length of policy brief should be 4 to 5 pages or less (single-spaced), preferably 4 pages Approximately 1,500-2,000 words.