MSW Research and Program Evaluation 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A researcher conducting a needs assessment wants to identify gaps between current services and community needs. Which data collection method provides the broadest community perspective most efficiently?
- Community survey (Correct answer)
- Key informant interviews
- Ethnographic observation
- Chart review
Correct answer: Community survey
A community survey reaches a large representative sample and efficiently quantifies the scope of unmet needs across a population.
Question 2: Which type of validity assesses whether a measure correlates with a theoretically related variable?
- Construct validity (Correct answer)
- Content validity
- Face validity
- Criterion validity
Correct answer: Construct validity
Construct validity evaluates whether a measure behaves as theory predicts in relation to other variables.
Question 3: In a longitudinal study tracking child welfare outcomes over five years, participants who move away and cannot be re-interviewed represent which threat?
- Attrition (mortality) (Correct answer)
- History effect
- Maturation
- Diffusion of treatment
Correct answer: Attrition (mortality)
Attrition occurs when participants drop out over time, potentially biasing results if dropouts differ systematically from those who remain.
Question 4: A social worker reviews aggregate data showing that neighborhoods with more liquor stores have higher crime rates. Concluding that alcohol causes individual criminal behavior is an example of:
- Ecological fallacy (Correct answer)
- Confirmation bias
- Illusory correlation
- Sampling error
Correct answer: Ecological fallacy
The ecological fallacy occurs when conclusions about individuals are incorrectly drawn from group-level aggregate data.
Question 5: Which IRB category typically applies to anonymous surveys about non-sensitive topics with minimal risk?
- Exempt review (Correct answer)
- Expedited review
- Full board review
- Continuing review
Correct answer: Exempt review
Anonymous surveys on non-sensitive topics generally qualify for exempt status under federal research regulations because they pose minimal risk.
Question 6: A researcher codes qualitative interview data and then has a second researcher independently code the same data to assess:
- Inter-rater reliability (Correct answer)
- Test-retest reliability
- Internal consistency
- Parallel forms reliability
Correct answer: Inter-rater reliability
Inter-rater reliability (also called inter-coder reliability) measures agreement between independent coders applying the same coding scheme.
Question 7: Logic models in program evaluation are primarily used to:
- Map the relationship between program inputs, activities, outputs, and outcomes (Correct answer)
- Calculate return on investment for funders
- Determine the statistical significance of outcomes
- Select the appropriate control group
Correct answer: Map the relationship between program inputs, activities, outputs, and outcomes
A logic model visually depicts the program theory by linking resources and activities to intended short- and long-term outcomes.
MSW Research and Program Evaluation 3
A researcher conducting a needs assessment wants to identify gaps between current services and community needs.
Which data collection method provides the broadest community perspective most efficiently?