Hinojosa, VictorVelasquez, ElizabethBaylor University.2020-06-012020-06-012020-05-012020-06-01https://hdl.handle.net/2104/10948This thesis will attempt to demonstrate what constitutes an effective policy brief. First, I will look at historical attempts to measure influence, using those as a guide to define an ‘effective’ policy brief. Next, this thesis will apply that definition to several briefs, separating the successful from the unsuccessful. From there, a rhetorical analysis of the briefs was performed, looking specifically for common strategies and forms that appear to have a direct effect on any given brief’s level of effectiveness. Think tanks hope that their policy briefs would sway policy makers toward a decision that best served the purposes of the authoring institution. Whether or not these institutions are, or even ever were successful at this goal is debatable at best. As a result, this thesis will attempt to qualify the relationship between think tanks and policy makers, especially through the use of policy briefs.en-USBaylor University projects are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. Contact libraryquestions@baylor.edu for inquiries about permission.Think TanksRhetoricPolicy BriefsThesisWorldwide access