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
A legal administrator receives consistently high ratings on client service but low ratings on file management. Which principle guides how these scores should be combined into an overall rating?
Answer: Weighting dimensions according to their relative importance to the role
Weights should reflect each dimension's relative contribution to overall job success; dimensions more critical to performance should carry greater weight.
Which rating scale format provides narrative descriptions for each performance level, reducing evaluator interpretation differences?
Answer: Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scale (BARS)
BARS links each point on the rating scale to a specific behavioral description, increasing consistency across different evaluators.
In the context of evaluating legal management staff, what is 'rater calibration'?
Answer: A process where managers align their rating standards before finalizing evaluations
Calibration sessions bring evaluating managers together to compare standards and ensure consistent application of rating criteria across the organization.
Which legal risk arises when a supervisor gives an employee high performance ratings despite known problems, then cites those problems as grounds for termination?
Answer: Wrongful termination exposure due to inconsistent documentation
Inflated ratings that contradict the basis for later adverse action create legal exposure because the documented record does not support the disciplinary decision.
What evaluation content element should be included to ensure an employee knows the next steps following a below-standards rating?
Answer: A performance improvement plan or development section
A performance improvement plan (PIP) or development section outlines specific actions, timelines, and support to help the employee reach expected standards.
Which bias occurs when an evaluator rates a recently hired employee more favorably because the employee's performance is compared to lower-performing former incumbents?
Answer: Contrast effect
The contrast effect distorts ratings by comparing an employee to others rather than to objective performance standards.
Under ADA considerations, what must an evaluator do when evaluating a staff member who requested a reasonable accommodation during the review period?
Answer: Evaluate performance against the essential functions of the job, with consideration of whether the accommodation was provided
Evaluations must focus on essential job functions; the evaluator should assess whether the accommodation was provided and how the employee performed the core duties.