Policy papers are different from the general research papers. The specific difference is that a policy paper addresses a different type of audience altogether. While the research paper is always addressed to an academic audience, the policy paper is not. In most cases, it is for a non-academic audience. They are written for officials, firms, organizations and agencies. Policy papers are used to diagnose particular issues and offer solutions to such issues. So they focus more on questions that are prescriptive. Policy papers are also very persuasive. The writer will always argue to convince the audience to accept the solution or idea he or she is proposing. This is why it is very important that you must provide evidence in support of the position you are taking. We can say that knowing how to write a research paper does not in any way mean that you know how to write a policy paper.
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