Communicating policy : bridging the gap between policy and the general public in Malta

Abstract

This research investigates whether environmental policy documents (PDs) are designed with the general public in mind, and identifies the factors that contribute to their willingness to read and ability to comprehend such documents. The study aims to address the existing knowledge gap in this area. To achieve this, an exploratory sequential design was employed, incorporating both qualitative methods (semi-structured interviews with policy-makers) and quantitative methods (online survey with the general public). This approach enabled the gathering of insights from both policy-makers and the general public, taking note of all their perspectives to formulate recommendations for future improvement. The data collected from the semi-structured interviews was analysed using thematic analysis, while the quantitative data was analysed statistically. The statistical analysis explored 11 hypotheses and included descriptive statistics to enhance the understanding of the general public's viewpoint. By combining the findings from both the policy-makers and the general public, this study shed light on the existing gap between PDs and the general public. The key findings of this study revealed that policy-makers claim to consider the general public in the development of PDs through various visual and written methods, although challenges arise in finding a balance between multiple target audiences. Additionally, several crucial features influencing the willingness to read and comprehension of PDs were identified. These factors include the use of visual aids, relatability of the topic, simplicity of the text, and effective document structure. Recommendations arising from this study include the possibility of having separate documents for different audiences and having policy documents written in both English and Maltese, a concept which can be explored in future research.