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 component of a performance evaluation cycle involves setting measurable goals at the start of the review period?
Answer: Goal-setting or planning phase
The planning phase at the beginning of a review cycle establishes clear, measurable performance expectations against which the employee will later be assessed.
A CLM candidate is reviewing a firm's evaluation form that uses a 5-point scale where '3' means 'Meets Expectations.' What rating distribution problem should she watch for?
Answer: Central tendency error
Central tendency error occurs when raters avoid extreme ratings and cluster most employees around the midpoint, reducing the evaluation's discriminative value.
In preparing evaluation content for legal administrators, which SMART goal attribute ensures the goal has a defined completion point?
Answer: Time-bound
The 'Time-bound' attribute of SMART goals establishes a deadline or timeframe, making it clear when performance will be evaluated against the goal.
Which evaluation method is most appropriate for assessing collaborative skills of legal administrators who work across multiple departments?
Answer: Multi-rater (360-degree) feedback
360-degree feedback collects input from supervisors, peers, and subordinates, providing a well-rounded view of collaboration across organizational boundaries.
Which practice best protects a law firm from legal challenges to a termination decision based on poor performance evaluations?
Answer: Ensuring evaluations are documented, consistent, and provided to employees
Documented, consistent evaluations shared with employees create a defensible record demonstrating that performance issues were communicated and addressed.
When should interim or mid-year reviews typically be conducted in a law firm's evaluation structure?
Answer: At least once between annual reviews to provide timely feedback
Mid-year reviews allow managers to provide timely course corrections and ensure employees are on track before the annual evaluation, not just during crisis.
Which evaluation structure component requires the evaluator to cite specific incidents or examples that occurred during the review period?
Answer: Critical incident documentation
Critical incident documentation requires supervisors to record specific examples of notable positive or negative performance behaviors throughout the year.