CSP Evaluation Research & Impact Assessment 3

Question 1

In regression discontinuity design, program impact is estimated by:

Accepted Answer

Examining outcome differences at the cutoff point of an assignment variable

Answer

Regression discontinuity exploits the arbitrary cutoff of an eligibility criterion to estimate causal effects.

Question 2

Stake's responsive evaluation model prioritizes:

Accepted Answer

Stakeholder concerns and program issues as they emerge during evaluation

Answer

Responsive evaluation (Stake) adapts to the concerns and issues that stakeholders raise throughout the evaluation process.

Question 3

Social Return on Investment (SROI) differs from traditional cost-benefit analysis primarily by:

Accepted Answer

Assigning monetary values to social and environmental outcomes

Answer

SROI monetizes broader social and environmental value, including outcomes for communities and society.

Question 4

In most-similar systems design (comparative evaluation), researchers:

Accepted Answer

Choose cases that are similar on key background factors but differ on outcomes

Answer

Most-similar design controls for background variables by choosing comparable contexts, then explains why outcomes differ.

Question 5

An evaluator discovers a program is producing significant unintended positive effects not in its logic model. The most appropriate action is to:

Accepted Answer

Document and report them as emergent outcomes alongside intended outcomes

Answer

Professional evaluation standards require reporting significant unintended outcomes, both positive and negative.

(CSP) Certified Sociological Practitioner Practice Test