Research methodology has evolved considerably with the internet in recent years. In addition to library research and interviews, students have access to a wealth of online resources to understand developments in public policy.

This increase in available information is undeniable progress. The flip side is that such a large amount of data takes time and experience to process. This is particularly true in the field of public policies with the phenomenon of legislative inflation. Monitor all institutions “by hand” is practically impossible. As a result, the risk is to concentrate on a limited number of sources or to consult only second-hand sources. Recently, artificial intelligence has emerged as an effective solution to manage the flow of data and stay up to date. 

In this article, we will look into the reasons political science students should familiarize themselves with AI-powered monitoring tools to increase their public policy understanding.

#1 become an expert in public policy monitoring 

With a daily policy monitoring routine on reliable sources, an public policy expert will keep himself fully informed. It is however a rather tedious exercise and requires practice and experience. As a student, it is in your best interest to develop effective routines as early as possible. 

Policy-Insider.ai ables you to match the information from a large number of institutions with opinions on social media. This way, you will avoid some beginner mistakes such as missing a piece of major information or giving credit to false information, not to mention fake news.

#2 be efficient and find all relevant policy documents in one place

At university, we learn to manage time and deal with deadlines and it serves your entire career. Between courses, papers, and exams, there is little time that can be spared for personal research. Knowing all the “tips” will increase your productivity without compromising quality. 

AI-powered monitoring platform collects all relevant documents from the institution for the main European countries in one central place. In other words, you no longer have to consult dozens of often poorly structured sites, each with its own “logic”.

On the contrary, you can quickly identify policy documents around your research topic and read them in your preferred language. Such a tool brings real added value to your work in record time by enriching your studies with reliable, verifiable references.  

#3 perform a comparative analysis between countries, institutions and policy areas 

The geographic scope of the sources covered by policy-insider.ai enables you to conduct a comparative analysis between countries.

As a public policy lecturer, I could always identify the language skills of my students in comparative policy assesments. Just because their assessments got limited by the missing multilingual access to national policy document resources.

Sebastian Rohde, Lecturer at Maastricht University and co-founder of policy-insider.ai

For example, if you study participatory democracy, here are some analyses the platform will provide you. First, the comparison between institutional activity and statements by politicians on social media shows you the level of the debate.
Also, the search filters allow you to see in which country this topic is mentioned the most. Moreover, the trend indicator informs you about the recurrence or the novelty of the subject. The constant improvement in AI performance will allow taking a completely new approach to political research.

#4 learn practical skills relevant for your future career as a researcher or a public policy professional  

The transition between studies and the professional world is a real challenge for many graduates. The key is to find bridges between academic knowledge and practical skills.

For instance, knowing the functioning of institutions becomes really useful with the ability to follow and anticipate the development of public policies. Being comfortable with tools at the cutting edge of technology can make the difference between two candidates. In any case, this proves to the recruiter your open-mindedness and professional conscience in your work habits.
An AI-powered tool guarantees quality monitoring thanks to reliable, diversified, and up-to-date sources. It is a valuable asset for public policy students both in their research work and in their professional integration.