The Argumentative Turn in Policy Analysis and Planning
The Argumentative Turn in Policy Analysis and Planning

Author: Frank Fischer

Publisher: Duke University Press

Published: 2013-07-12

Total Pages: 337

ISBN-13: 0822381818

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Public policy is made of language. Whether in written or oral form, argument is central to all parts of the policy process. As simple as this insight appears, its implications for policy analysis and planning are profound. Drawing from recent work on language and argumentation and referring to such theorists as Wittgenstein, Habermas, Toulmin, and Foucault, these essays explore the interplay of language, action, and power in both the practice and the theory of policy-making. The contributors, scholars of international renown who range across the theoretical spectrum, emphasize the political nature of the policy planner's work and stress the role of persuasive arguments in practical decision making. Recognizing the rhetorical, communicative character of policy and planning deliberations, they show that policy arguments are necessarily selective, both shaping and being shaped by relations of power. These essays reveal the practices of policy analysts and planners in powerful new ways--as matters of practical argumentation in complex, highly political environments. They also make an important contribution to contemporary debates over postempiricism in the social and policy sciences. Contributors. John S. Dryzek, William N. Dunn, Frank Fischer, John Forester, Maarten Hajer, Patsy Healey, Robert Hoppe, Bruce Jennings, Thomas J. Kaplan, Duncan MacRae, Jr., Martin Rein, Donald Schon, J. A. Throgmorton

Integrating Analyses in Mixed Methods Research
Integrating Analyses in Mixed Methods Research

Author: Patricia Bazeley

Publisher: SAGE

Published: 2017-09-25

Total Pages: 410

ISBN-13: 1526417162

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Integrating Analyses in Mixed Methods Research goes beyond mixed methods research design and data collection, providing a pragmatic discussion of the challenges of effectively integrating data to facilitate a more comprehensive and rigorous level of analysis. Showcasing a range of strategies for integrating different sources and forms of data as well as different approaches in analysis, it helps you plan, conduct, and disseminate complex analyses with confidence. Key techniques include: Building an integrative framework Analysing sequential, complementary and comparative data Identifying patterns and contrasts in linked data Categorizing, counting, and blending mixed data Managing dissonance and divergence Transforming analysis into warranted assertions With clear steps that can be tailored to any project, this book is perfect for students and researchers undertaking their own mixed methods research.

Water Resource Systems Planning and Management
Water Resource Systems Planning and Management

Author: Daniel P. Loucks

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2017-03-02

Total Pages: 635

ISBN-13: 3319442341

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This book is open access under a CC BY-NC 4.0 license. This revised, updated textbook presents a systems approach to the planning, management, and operation of water resources infrastructure in the environment. Previously published in 2005 by UNESCO and Deltares (Delft Hydraulics at the time), this new edition, written again with contributions from Jery R. Stedinger, Jozef P. M. Dijkman, and Monique T. Villars, is aimed equally at students and professionals. It introduces readers to the concept of viewing issues involving water resources as a system of multiple interacting components and scales. It offers guidelines for initiating and carrying out water resource system planning and management projects. It introduces alternative optimization, simulation, and statistical methods useful for project identification, design, siting, operation and evaluation and for studying post-planning issues. The authors cover both basin-wide and urban water issues and present ways of identifying and evaluating alternatives for addressing multiple-purpose and multi-objective water quantity and quality management challenges. Reinforced with cases studies, exercises, and media supplements throughout, the text is ideal for upper-level undergraduate and graduate courses in water resource planning and management as well as for practicing planners and engineers in the field.

Agile Estimating and Planning
Agile Estimating and Planning

Author: Mike Cohn

Publisher: Pearson Education

Published: 2005-11-01

Total Pages: 526

ISBN-13: 0132703106

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Agile Estimating and Planning is the definitive, practical guide to estimating and planning agile projects. In this book, Agile Alliance cofounder Mike Cohn discusses the philosophy of agile estimating and planning and shows you exactly how to get the job done, with real-world examples and case studies. Concepts are clearly illustrated and readers are guided, step by step, toward how to answer the following questions: What will we build? How big will it be? When must it be done? How much can I really complete by then? You will first learn what makes a good plan-and then what makes it agile. Using the techniques in Agile Estimating and Planning, you can stay agile from start to finish, saving time, conserving resources, and accomplishing more. Highlights include: Why conventional prescriptive planning fails and why agile planning works How to estimate feature size using story points and ideal days–and when to use each How and when to re-estimate How to prioritize features using both financial and nonfinancial approaches How to split large features into smaller, more manageable ones How to plan iterations and predict your team's initial rate of progress How to schedule projects that have unusually high uncertainty or schedule-related risk How to estimate projects that will be worked on by multiple teams Agile Estimating and Planning supports any agile, semiagile, or iterative process, including Scrum, XP, Feature-Driven Development, Crystal, Adaptive Software Development, DSDM, Unified Process, and many more. It will be an indispensable resource for every development manager, team leader, and team member.

Basic Methods of Policy Analysis and Planning
Basic Methods of Policy Analysis and Planning

Author: Carl Patton

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2015-08-26

Total Pages: 481

ISBN-13: 1317350006

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Updated in its 3rd edition, Basic Methods of Policy Analysis and Planning presents quickly applied methods for analyzing and resolving planning and policy issues at state, regional, and urban levels. Divided into two parts, Methods which presents quick methods in nine chapters and is organized around the steps in the policy analysis process, and Cases which presents seven policy cases, ranging in degree of complexity, the text provides readers with the resources they need for effective policy planning and analysis. Quantitative and qualitative methods are systematically combined to address policy dilemmas and urban planning problems. Readers and analysts utilizing this text gain comprehensive skills and background needed to impact public policy.

Fatigue Testing and Analysis
Fatigue Testing and Analysis

Author: Yung-Li Lee

Publisher: Elsevier

Published: 2011-04-18

Total Pages: 417

ISBN-13: 0080477690

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Fatigue Testing and Analysis: Theory and Practice presents the latest, proven techniques for fatigue data acquisition, data analysis, and test planning and practice. More specifically, it covers the most comprehensive methods to capture the component load, to characterize the scatter of product fatigue resistance and loading, to perform the fatigue damage assessment of a product, and to develop an accelerated life test plan for reliability target demonstration. This book is most useful for test and design engineers in the ground vehicle industry. Fatigue Testing and Analysis introduces the methods to account for variability of loads and statistical fatigue properties that are useful for further probabilistic fatigue analysis. The text incorporates and demonstrates approaches that account for randomness of loading and materials, and covers the applications and demonstrations of both linear and double-linear damage rules. The reader will benefit from summaries of load transducer designs and data acquisition techniques, applications of both linear and non-linear damage rules and methods, and techniques to determine the statistical fatigue properties for the nominal stress-life and the local strain-life methods. - Covers the useful techniques for component load measurement and data acquisition, fatigue properties determination, fatigue analysis, and accelerated life test criteria development, and, most importantly, test plans for reliability demonstrations - Written from a practical point of view, based on the authors' industrial and academic experience in automotive engineering design - Extensive practical examples are used to illustrate the main concepts in all chapters

New Principles in Planning Evaluation
New Principles in Planning Evaluation

Author: Abdul Khakee

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2016-12-05

Total Pages: 243

ISBN-13: 135191474X

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This book provides recently developed and tested methods for assessing the strengths and weaknesses of planning and policy options. Several contributions focus on new substantive areas of concern in planning evaluation, including environmental justice and sustainable urban development. Applications of evaluation in several planning contexts are demonstrated, and special problems that these pose are assessed. Several chapters address how to communicate the process and results to several stakeholder groups, and how to engage these groups in the evaluation process. Each chapter employs a real-world case in practice, thus dealing with the complexity of applying planning evaluation, and providing practical advice useful in similar situations.

The Routledge Handbook of Planning Research Methods
The Routledge Handbook of Planning Research Methods

Author: Elisabete A. Silva

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2014-08-21

Total Pages: 572

ISBN-13: 1317917030

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The Routledge Handbook of Planning Research Methods is an expansive look at the traditions, methods, and challenges of research design and research projects in contemporary urban planning. Through case studies, an international group of researchers, planning practitioners, and planning academics and educators, all recognized authorities in the field, provide accounts of designing and implementing research projects from different approaches and venues. This book shows how to apply quantitative and qualitative methods to projects, and how to take your research from the classroom to the real world. The book is structured into sections focusing on Beginning planning research Research design and development Rediscovering qualitative methods New advances in quantitative methods Turning research into action With chapters written by leading scholars in spatial planning, The Routledge Handbook of Planning Research Methods is the most authoritative and comprehensive handbook on the topic, providing both established and ground breaking coverage of spatial planning research methods. The book is an invaluable resource for undergraduate and graduate level students, young professionals and practitioners in urban, regional, and spatial planning.

Practical Research
Practical Research

Author: Paul D. Leedy

Publisher:

Published: 2013-07-30

Total Pages: 384

ISBN-13: 9781292021171

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For undergraduate or graduate courses that include planning, conducting, and evaluating research. A do-it-yourself, understand-it-yourself manual designed to help students understand the fundamental structure of research and the methodical process that leads to valid, reliable results. Written in uncommonly engaging and elegant prose, this text guides the reader, step-by-step, from the selection of a problem, through the process of conducting authentic research, to the preparation of a completed report, with practical suggestions based on a solid theoretical framework and sound pedagogy. Suitable as the core text in any introductory research course or even for self-instruction, this text will show students two things: 1) that quality research demands planning and design; and, 2) how their own research projects can be executed effectively and professionally.