Data Collection & Analysis Flashcards

When designing a data collection instrument for a diverse population, an evaluator should prioritize:

Answer: Cultural responsiveness and plain language

Culturally responsive instruments in plain language ensure all participants can understand and respond accurately.

A program evaluation finds a Pearson correlation of r = 0.85 between two variables. This indicates:

Answer: A strong positive linear relationship

A Pearson r of 0.85 indicates a strong positive linear relationship, though causation cannot be inferred from correlation alone.

An evaluator wants to track changes in program outcomes over multiple time points without a comparison group. This design is called a:

Answer: Single-group time-series design

A single-group time-series design measures the same group at multiple time points to assess change over time without a comparison group.

Which measure of data spread indicates how much individual scores deviate from the group average?

Answer: Standard deviation

Standard deviation quantifies the average distance of individual scores from the mean, indicating data spread.

A CPE evaluator administers a survey to all 500 program participants rather than a sample. This is called:

Answer: A census

Collecting data from every member of the population rather than a subset is called a census.

Interrater reliability is most important when data collection involves:

Answer: Multiple human coders categorizing qualitative data

Interrater reliability ensures that multiple human coders assign the same categories to data consistently, reducing subjective bias.

Which ethical principle requires evaluators to protect participants from harm during data collection?

Answer: Beneficence

Beneficence obligates evaluators to maximize benefits and minimize harm to participants throughout the evaluation process.