MPA Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield MPA facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. What does the 'debt service ratio' measure in public finance? → The proportion of government revenue consumed by principal and interest payments on debt
2. Which management concept refers to delegating authority and decision-making power to lower levels of an organization? → Decentralization
3. Which federal law prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in the public and private sectors? → Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII)
4. In organizational change management, Kurt Lewin's three-step model involves: → Unfreezing, changing, and refreezing
5. Which organizational structure features functional departments reporting to a central authority with clear top-down command? → Hierarchical (line) structure
6. Which management theory argues that workers are primarily motivated by social relationships and a sense of belonging rather than financial incentives alone? → Human relations theory
7. Which budgeting format directly links funding levels to measurable outcomes and results? → Performance budgeting
8. Which federal statute is considered the foundational law governing the procedures of U.S. federal administrative agencies? → Administrative Procedure Act
9. The three main branches of government are often responsible for different aspects of its operations. → Bureaucracy
10. Which principle of public administration ethics holds that administrators should treat similar cases in the same way, free from personal bias or favoritism? → Impartiality (neutrality)
11. What does 'PAYGO' stand for in U.S. federal budget law? → Pay as you go
12. What is 'capital budgeting' in public administration? → A separate budget process for long-lived infrastructure and capital asset investments
13. What is an 'adverse action' in federal civil service terminology? → A disciplinary measure such as removal, demotion, or suspension for more than 14 days
14. The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) primarily gives the public what right? → The right to access records held by federal executive branch agencies
15. Which concept describes the tendency of organizations to adopt similar structures, practices, and cultures over time due to environmental pressures? → Institutional isomorphism
16. Regulatory capture occurs when: → A regulated industry gains disproportionate influence over the agency meant to oversee it
17. The actual details of the New Public Service period, excluding: → The adoption of private sector management concepts and styles
18. Which term describes the practice of legislators inserting specific local projects into federal appropriations bills? → Pork barrel spending / earmarks
19. Which type of government bond is backed by the full faith and credit of the issuing government? → General obligation bond
20. Which constitutional clause primarily requires that administrative agencies act within the scope of authority delegated to them by Congress? → Nondelegation Doctrine derived from Article I
21. Which analytical framework examines how different actors with different values and interests compete to influence policy outcomes? → Advocacy Coalition Framework (ACF)
22. What is the primary purpose of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) in the U.S. federal budget process? → To provide nonpartisan economic and budget analysis to Congress
23. Under the APA, what type of rulemaking requires agencies to publish a proposed rule, accept public comments, and then publish a final rule? → Informal (notice-and-comment) rulemaking
24. The Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 created which two key institutions to oversee federal employee rights? → MSPB and OSC (Office of Special Counsel)
25. Which concept describes the practice of hiring on the basis of political loyalty or personal connections rather than merit? → Spoils system (patronage)
26. Which budgeting approach starts from zero each fiscal year and requires justification for every line item? → Zero-based budgeting
27. An administrative law judge (ALJ) presides over which type of agency proceeding? → Formal adjudications that determine individual rights or obligations
28. Executive Order 12866, issued in 1993, requires federal agencies to do what before issuing significant regulatory actions? → Submit the rule for OIRA review and conduct a cost-benefit analysis
29. Which is not covered by the American Society of Public Administration's Code of Ethics? → None of the above
30. Which group was listed by Forbes in 2011 as the US charity receiving the most private funding on a national level? → United Way