Assessment & Evaluation Methods Flashcards
7 cards from real CGA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Assessment & Evaluation Methods flashcards as text
Which evaluation approach is most useful when a program is new and its theory of change is not yet well understood?
Answer: Developmental evaluation
Developmental evaluation supports innovation by providing real-time feedback and helping program teams refine their model during early implementation.
A grantee calculates that it costs $1,200 to serve each participant and that 70% achieve the target outcome. The funder wants to compare this to alternative programs. This is an example of:
Answer: Cost-effectiveness analysis
Cost-effectiveness analysis compares the cost per unit of outcome across programs, without converting outcomes into monetary values.
In survey design, 'acquiescence bias' refers to respondents' tendency to:
Answer: Agree with statements regardless of content
Acquiescence bias (yes-saying) occurs when respondents agree with items irrespective of their actual views, distorting Likert-scale data.
Which method aggregates findings from multiple evaluation studies of the same program type to produce a pooled estimate of effectiveness?
Answer: Meta-analysis
Meta-analysis statistically combines quantitative results from multiple independent studies to derive a weighted average effect size.
A program's evaluation plan states it will use 'triangulation.' This means the evaluator will:
Answer: Cross-check findings using multiple data sources or methods
Triangulation involves using multiple data sources, methods, or investigators to cross-check findings and strengthen the validity of conclusions.
Which component of a logic model directly links activities to measurable short-term changes in participants?
Answer: Short-term outcomes
Short-term outcomes are the immediate changes in knowledge, attitudes, skills, or behaviors that result directly from program activities.
An evaluator discovers that a comparison group sought out similar services on their own during the study period. This threatens the evaluation's validity through:
Answer: Contamination (diffusion of treatment)
Contamination occurs when the control/comparison group receives or seeks out similar services, blurring the difference between groups and diluting measured effects.