You too can write for this blog
November 30, 2015 - Northern Policy Institute exists to educate and engage all stakeholders interested in the future of Northern Ontario. We seek to encourage informed and respectful policy discussion and debate on issues impacting our region.
That means every voice must be heard, from the academic with 30 year’s experience to the high school student just about to make their choice of what to do after graduation. Waitresses, mechanics, stay-at-home parents, grandparents, even sociologists. We hope to see everyone engage and are happy to help in any way we can.
Just a reminder that Northern Policy Institute is pleased to offer a standing and open invitation to anyone interested in engaging in this discussion to submit blogs for consideration for publication in this space.
These blogs must be evidence based, solution oriented, and readily accessible to the average lay reader.
Northern Policy Institute will accept for consideration three different types of blogs; educational, policy advice, and success stories.
Policy advice blogs should look like this:
- State the problem;
- Detail its consequences with evidence and real impact on real people;
- Outline potential solutions with evidence or theoretical foundation (and informal citations);
- Pick one solution to recommend as the correct one, and explain why.
Educational blogs should look like this:
- State the problem;
- Detail the various positions on it;
- Highlight the strengths and weaknesses of all positions;
- Pick a side.
Success stories should look like this:
- Introduce a story that highlights success or good news in the north;
- Provide background;
- Discuss current developments;
- Discuss future of project or organization;
- Should include direct comments from individuals involved.
It is important to note that Northern Policy Institute is a NON-partisan research organization. As a result, blogs should not attack one political party or politician without dealing with all of the others, and NEVER refer to a government according to their political stripe or their leader’s name.
Northern Policy Institute focuses on evidence based material. Blogs should avoid generic “experts say” statements. Proper citations should be provided where required and credit should always be given to another individual’s words, ideas, or research.
Be objective and don’t tell one side of the story. Use at least two sides; three or more if possible.
Submitted blogs will be reviewed by at least one member of Northern Policy Institute’s independent Board of Research Advisors. As with our other peer reviewed material, the RAB member will be asked to comment on five items:
- Errors of fact
- Items omitted or unclear
- Items in need of expansion
- Items that can be deleted or are repetitive
- And a general conclusion as to whether the piece should be published, not published or revised then published
Authors selected for publication will be given the opportunity to make adjustments after they receive the reviewer’s feedback.
Northern Policy Institute is not in a position to pay for blog submissions but we are happy to promote your work to a wider audience online in our newsletter and on our social media feeds.
Occasionally blog authors may be invited to submit a longer analysis based on the ideas sketched out in their blogs. Those more substantial commentaries and papers would be subject to our usual author agreements and compensation terms.
PS – if, for whatever reason, a full blog post (800-1200 words) is not in the cards for you right now, we encourage you to read past and future blogs and engage in the discussion through the “comments” section!
By Charles Cirtwill, Northern Policy Institute President and CEO.
The content of Northern Policy Institute’s blog is for general information and use. The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Northern Policy Institute, its Board of Directors or its supporters. The authors take full responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of their respective blog posts. Northern Policy Institute will not be liable for any errors or omissions in this information, nor will Northern Policy Institute be liable for any detriment caused from the display or use of this information. Any links to other websites do not imply endorsement, nor is Northern Policy Institute responsible for the content of the linked websites.