School of Public and
Nonprofit Administration
Dr. Mark C. Hoffman
Phone: 616 771-6587
e-mail: HoffmanM@gvsu.edu
Final Exam:
"They could have been classics"
PA520A: Foundations of Public Management
You are to review three articles and evaluate their worthiness for inclusion as class reading material
in PA520. The three articles you are to review will be provided at least two weeks before the due
date.
For all three articles, write a summary similar to the (better) classic article summaries given in
class. Address the following issues:
1. What is the context behind the article. (When was the article written? Who wrote it?)
2. What is the main idea? State the three to six main points the author makes. Alternatively,
state the three to six steps in logic the author asks the reader to follow.
3. Does the article support or contradict information found in (a) other PA readings or the course
text book (b) your own experiences or observations or (c) other sources. Provide at least three
specific references, at least two of which being assigned readings.
4. Why are the primary strengths and weaknesses of the article? These can be in terms of
relevance to a main theme in the discipline, significance in development of theory or practice,
and readability.
5. What are one to three questions you would like to ask the author?
Make a case why one of the articles should be added to the required reading list of this course. (The
article favored by a plurality of students will be added to the required readings for my future
sections of PA520.)
1. Summarize why you believe the article you picked is a better candidate as course reading
material than the other two.
2. What new insight(s), if any, does the article offer beyond those offered in the other class
readings? Why is this important?
3. As a “classic,” do you think the article will stand the test of time? Why?
4. In which weekly thematic set of classic readings would you insert this article? Which article
would you drop to make room for it? Explain your answer.