CPE Logic Models & Theory of Change Flashcards

A CPE is reviewing a logic model that shows no link between program activities and intended outcomes. This is called a:

Answer: Logic gap

A logic gap occurs when there is no plausible causal connection between what a program does and the outcomes it claims to produce.

Which type of outcomes in a logic model are typically measured 5–10 years after program implementation?

Answer: Long-term impacts

Long-term impacts represent the ultimate, sustained changes in conditions or systems that a program aims to influence, often observed years after implementation.

A program's Theory of Change should be developed:

Answer: Before program implementation to guide design and evaluation planning

Developing a Theory of Change before implementation ensures the program's design and evaluation plan are aligned with intended causal pathways.

In logic model development, 'external factors' refer to:

Answer: Environmental influences outside the program's control that may affect outcomes

External factors are contextual influences—such as economic conditions or policy changes—that can affect outcomes but are beyond the program's direct control.

Which practice BEST validates a program's Theory of Change during evaluation?

Answer: Testing assumptions by collecting evidence on whether intermediate outcomes lead to long-term outcomes

Validation of a Theory of Change requires empirically testing whether the assumed causal links between intermediate and long-term outcomes hold in practice.

A logic model that includes only outputs and no outcomes is problematic because it:

Answer: Fails to articulate the change the program aims to create

Without outcomes, a logic model only tracks what a program does, not what difference it makes, undermining the evaluation's ability to assess effectiveness.