Evaluation Structure & Content Flashcards
7 cards from real ALA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Evaluation Structure & Content flashcards as text
Which type of performance evaluation method requires evaluators to rank all employees from best to worst relative to each other?
Answer: Forced ranking
Forced ranking requires managers to rank all employees against one another rather than against a fixed standard.
In a legal management context, what is the primary purpose of including self-assessment in the performance evaluation process?
Answer: To provide employee perspective and promote self-reflection
Self-assessments give employees an opportunity to reflect on their own performance and provide their perspective before the formal review.
When designing evaluation criteria for legal support staff, which approach best ensures job-relatedness?
Answer: Basing criteria on a thorough job analysis for each role
A job analysis identifies the specific duties, responsibilities, and competencies required for a role, ensuring evaluation criteria are directly tied to actual job requirements.
Which evaluation error occurs when a supervisor allows one outstanding trait to positively influence ratings across all other performance dimensions?
Answer: Halo effect
The halo effect happens when an evaluator's positive impression in one area unfairly inflates ratings in unrelated areas.
A law firm administrator wants to evaluate paralegals on both technical skills and interpersonal competencies. Which evaluation structure best accommodates this dual focus?
Answer: A weighted multi-dimensional rating form
A weighted multi-dimensional form allows separate ratings for technical and interpersonal dimensions, with weights reflecting their relative importance to the role.
Under which legal doctrine can an employer be held liable if evaluation criteria disproportionately screen out a protected class without business justification?
Answer: Disparate impact
Disparate impact theory holds that neutral policies or criteria can be unlawful if they have a disproportionate adverse effect on a protected group without justification.
What is the primary advantage of using behavioral examples in performance evaluations rather than trait-based descriptors?
Answer: They provide objective, observable evidence that reduces subjectivity
Behavioral examples anchor ratings in specific, observable actions rather than subjective personality traits, improving reliability and defensibility.