A Rhetorical Analysis of Intermediary Organization Documents on College Completion Policy

Abstract

Intermediary organizations play an increasingly important role in public policy related to higher education, particularly related to the completion agenda. This study addresses strategies employed by intermediary organizations to communicate to policymakers regarding college completion. Using rhetorical analysis, we examine 72 documents to deconstruct their arguments. Findings show that intermediaries employ the rhetorical elements of ethos, pathos, delivery, and idiom to present information and advocate preferred policy solutions. Importantly, organizations communicate messages differently based on their orientation toward the researcher or policymaker communities. Intermediary organizations aligned more closely with researchers rely more on empirical evidence and neutral tones, whereas organizations aligned more closely with policymakers utilize more idiomatic language, visually engaging document design, and nonempirical sources of evidence. Rhetorical analysis can enable researchers, intermediaries, and policymakers all to work more clearly and carefully in the higher education policy arena and, in so doing, strengthen the bridge between the two communities.

Analyzing Congressional Research Service Reports on Education: How Is Information Used at Congress’s Think Tank?

“…Research highlights the influence of intermediary organizations in state-level policymaking in higher education, which is the primary level of policy decision-making for the sector. For instance, studies examining the development and proliferation of higher education performance-based funding models underscore the role of intermediaries in the facilitation and transmission of information and support for this policy solution (Gándara et al, 2017; Hammond et al, 2022; Miller & Morphew, 2017). This research also emphasizes, however, that intermediaries often maintain certain agendas due to either political partisanship, support from foundations and philanthropies, or broader missions, which, in turn, influence the perspectives that intermediary organizations offer (Hammond et al, 2022).…”

“…For instance, studies examining the development and proliferation of higher education performance-based funding models underscore the role of intermediaries in the facilitation and transmission of information and support for this policy solution (Gándara et al, 2017; Hammond et al, 2022; Miller & Morphew, 2017). This research also emphasizes, however, that intermediaries often maintain certain agendas due to either political partisanship, support from foundations and philanthropies, or broader missions, which, in turn, influence the perspectives that intermediary organizations offer (Hammond et al, 2022). K–12 education research similarly discusses the influence of external entities and organizational characteristics on intermediary organization decision-making and information provision (Conaway et al, 2015; DeBray et al, 2014; Goldie et al, 2014; Lubienski et al, 2014), suggesting that these factors can be a concern when gauging the reliability of these entities.…”

“…One group of actors often discussed in the knowledgebrokering process are intermediary organizations. These organizations do not decide on the adoption or implementation of policy directly but, instead, they serve primarily in a supporting role, such as through the provision of information or expert advice (Barnes et al, 2014;Cooper & Shewchuk, 2015;Hammond et al, 2022;Lubienski et al, 2014;Malin et al, 2020;Neal et al, 2019;Ness, 2010;Nutley et al, 2007;Shewchuk & Farley-Ripple, 2022;Tseng & Nutley, 2014). Similar to research on knowledge brokering, authors underscore the role of trust by policymakers when considering whether an intermediary is viewed as a valued source of research and information (Barnes et al, 2014;Malin et al, 2020;Ness, 2010;Shewchuk & Farley-Ripple, 2022).…”

Foundation-sponsored networks: Brokerage roles of higher education intermediary organizations

“…Knowledge brokerage, the process of distributing and exchanging information across parties, is widely applied to intermediaries linking two disconnected parties (Dobbins et al, 2009;Hammond et al, 2019;Ward et al, 2011) Often, major foundations work through intermediary grantees to promote philanthropic-led initiatives (Haddad & Reckhow, 2018;Hall & Thomas, 2012;Kelly & James, 2015). Intermediary organizations are external entities, who act as third-party actors linking two otherwise separated and disconnected groups (Gándara et al, 2017;Honig, 2004;Ness, 2010).…”