CHES Evaluation and Research Methods 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which evaluation design uses randomization to assign participants to intervention and control groups?
- Quasi-experimental
- Randomized controlled trial (Correct answer)
- Cross-sectional survey
- Case study
Correct answer: Randomized controlled trial
A randomized controlled trial (RCT) randomly assigns participants to groups, providing the strongest evidence for causality.
Question 2: A health educator wants to understand participants' lived experiences with diabetes management. Which data collection approach is most appropriate?
- Structured survey with Likert scales
- In-depth qualitative interviews (Correct answer)
- Pre/post biometric testing
- Secondary data analysis
Correct answer: In-depth qualitative interviews
In-depth qualitative interviews best capture subjective lived experiences and personal meanings participants attach to health behaviors.
Question 3: Internal validity in a health education study refers to:
- How well results generalize to other populations
- The degree to which the study measures what it intends to measure
- The confidence that observed outcomes are caused by the intervention (Correct answer)
- Consistency of results across repeated measurements
Correct answer: The confidence that observed outcomes are caused by the intervention
Internal validity is the extent to which a causal relationship between the intervention and outcome can be confidently concluded.
Question 4: A Gantt chart is most useful in program evaluation for:
- Displaying statistical significance of outcomes
- Mapping causal pathways between inputs and outcomes
- Tracking project timelines and activity milestones (Correct answer)
- Comparing pre/post knowledge scores
Correct answer: Tracking project timelines and activity milestones
A Gantt chart is a project management tool that visually displays tasks, timelines, and milestones for program planning and monitoring.
Question 5: Which measure of central tendency is most resistant to extreme outliers?
- Mean
- Median (Correct answer)
- Mode
- Range
Correct answer: Median
The median is the middle value and is not mathematically affected by extreme scores, making it more robust than the mean.
Question 6: A researcher compares smoking cessation rates between a program group and a comparison group using existing records. This is best described as a:
- Randomized experiment
- Quasi-experimental design (Correct answer)
- Prospective cohort study
- Case-control study
Correct answer: Quasi-experimental design
Quasi-experimental designs lack random assignment but use comparison groups to approximate experimental conditions.
Question 7: Process evaluation primarily answers which question?
- Did participants improve health outcomes?
- Was the program implemented as planned? (Correct answer)
- What was the return on investment?
- Did the program reduce healthcare costs?
Correct answer: Was the program implemented as planned?
Process evaluation monitors program implementation fidelity, tracking whether activities were delivered as intended.
CHES Evaluation and Research Methods 2
Which evaluation design uses randomization to assign participants to intervention and control groups?