CPE Program Planning & Design 4 â Questions and Answers
Question 1: A program evaluator finds that a program's intended outcomes were not reached but participants reported high satisfaction. The evaluator should:
- Report success based on participant satisfaction scores
- Distinguish between process success and outcome effectiveness in the evaluation report (Correct answer)
- Dismiss satisfaction data as irrelevant
- Recommend immediate program termination
Correct answer: Distinguish between process success and outcome effectiveness in the evaluation report
Satisfaction reflects implementation quality (process) and is analytically separate from whether the program produced its intended changes (outcomes).
Question 2: Which component of a logic model represents the ultimate, long-range change a program aims to achieve?
- Outputs
- Short-term outcomes
- Activities
- Impact (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Impact
Impact (or long-term outcomes) represents the fundamental, lasting change in conditions or well-being the program ultimately seeks to produce.
Question 3: A program planner is asked to use a participatory planning model. This means stakeholders should be involved in:
- Only the final review of the completed plan
- Identifying problems, designing solutions, and monitoring outcomes (Correct answer)
- Approving budget line items only
- Selecting evaluation instruments after program launch
Correct answer: Identifying problems, designing solutions, and monitoring outcomes
Participatory planning engages stakeholders throughout all phasesâproblem identification, solution design, and ongoing monitoringâto build ownership and relevance.
Question 4: An evaluator is asked to assess whether a program reached its intended participants. This is primarily an assessment of:
- Outcome fidelity
- Program reach and coverage (Correct answer)
- Cost-effectiveness
- Theoretical validity
Correct answer: Program reach and coverage
Reach and coverage assess whether the program enrolled and served the intended target population, a fundamental prerequisite for expected impact.
Question 5: Which risk factor in program design is most likely to undermine internal validity of an evaluation?
- High participant diversity
- Selection bias in enrollment (Correct answer)
- Use of validated measurement instruments
- Frequent staff meetings
Correct answer: Selection bias in enrollment
Selection biasâsystematic differences between participants and comparisons before the program beginsâconfounds outcome differences and undermines causal claims.
Question 6: A program planner documents that the program will serve 500 youth per year, provide 12 weekly sessions, and distribute 500 resource kits. These are all examples of:
- Long-term outcomes
- Program outputs (Correct answer)
- Program impacts
- Intermediate outcomes
Correct answer: Program outputs
Outputs are the direct, countable products of program activitiesânumber of participants served, sessions delivered, and materials distributed.
Question 7: A health promotion program's logic model includes 'increased knowledge' as a short-term outcome. Which measurement approach is most appropriate to assess this outcome?
- Six-month follow-up health records
- Pre- and post-program knowledge assessments (Correct answer)
- Observation of session attendance
- Staff performance reviews
Correct answer: Pre- and post-program knowledge assessments
Pre-post knowledge assessments directly measure change in participant knowledge attributable to program participation within the relevant timeframe.
CPE Program Planning & Design 4
A program evaluator finds that a program's intended outcomes were not reached but participants reported high satisfaction.
The evaluator should: