Description

Chapter 1: Key Concepts and Issues in Program Evaluation and Performance Measurement

Test Bank

Examination Questions

True or False and Explain. For each of the following questions, indicate whether the statement is True or False. In a short sentence, explain why you selected that response. To earn full marks, you must have a reason that logically backs up your choice.

1. Performance management is primarily about spending organizational budget so that you are not breaking any rules.

Ans: F

Explain. _________________________________________________________

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1. Program evaluation is primarily about measuring program results.

Ans: F

Explain. ___________________________________________________________

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1. Randomized control trials (RCTs) are the “gold standard” for sound evaluations; therefore, RCTs are the most common evaluation design.

Ans: F

Explain. ___________________________________________________________

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1. The “Rialto experiment” provides an example of a mixed methods approach to program evaluation.

Ans: T

Explain. ___________________________________________________________

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1. In a methodologically sound program evaluation, you should be able to account for all the variance in program results (output and outcome).

Ans: F

Explain. __________________________________________________________

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1. Formative program evaluations are ones that focus exclusively on program implementation.

Ans: F

Explain. _________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

1. Evaluation assessments are intended to systematically gather and organize information that is needed to make a decision to either conduct or not conduct a program evaluation.

Ans: T

Explain. _________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

1. The adequacy of a program depends on whether the program results are sufficient to meet the need for the program.

Ans: T

Explain. _________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

1. An ex post program evaluation is one that occurs when the program is about to be implemented as a pilot program.

Ans: F

Explain. __________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

1. A core question in most program evaluations is whether the program succeeded in meeting its intended objectives.

Ans: T

Explain. __________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

1. Assessing whether a program caused the observed outcomes is rarely a part of evaluating program effectiveness.

Ans: F

Explain. __________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

1. Performance measurement is an acceptable substitute for program evaluation where the key evaluation question is assessing program effectiveness.

Ans: F

Explain. _________________________________________________________

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13. The “Rialto experiment,” which examined the use of police body-worn cameras (BWCs) in Rialto, California, proved that wearing BWCs caused lower rates of use- of-force incidents in the Rialto police force.

Ans: F

Explain. _________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

Compare and Contrast/Short Answers

1. What is the difference between formative and summative program evaluations?

1. What is the difference between a policy and a program?

1. What is the difference between technical efficiency and economic efficiency?

1. What does the question of program appropriateness focus on in a program evaluation?

1. Two different ways of looking at program effectiveness were introduced in Chapter 1. What is the difference between them?

1. When an evaluation is looking at cost-effectiveness as an issue, what is it comparing?

1. What is the difference between an ex ante and an ex post program evaluation?

1. What is program evaluation?

1. What is a program?

1. What is tacit knowledge?

1. What is program relevance about?

1. What does it mean to mix methods in a program evaluation?

1. How is measuring performance different from evaluating outcomes?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does it mean to say that all program evaluations are political?

1. In Chapter 1, the 10 steps in an evaluation assessment were discussed. Which of the steps is the most important? Why do you say that?

1. What is the performance management cycle in organizations? Why do we refer to it a normative model of how organizations manage performance?