MSW Research and Program Evaluation 2

Question 1

A social worker wants to measure whether a job-training program reduces unemployment. Which evaluation design best establishes causality?

Accepted Answer

Pre-test/post-test with a control group

Answer

A pre-test/post-test design with a control group controls for threats to internal validity, allowing causal inferences.

Question 2

Which sampling method is most appropriate when no complete list of the target population exists?

Accepted Answer

Snowball sampling

Answer

Snowball sampling uses referrals from known participants to reach hidden or hard-to-find populations.

Question 3

A researcher finds a p-value of 0.03. What does this indicate?

Accepted Answer

There is a 3% probability the results occurred by chance under the null hypothesis

Answer

A p-value represents the probability of obtaining results as extreme as observed if the null hypothesis were true.

Question 4

In program evaluation, 'process evaluation' primarily examines:

Accepted Answer

Whether the program was implemented as intended

Answer

Process evaluation (also called implementation evaluation) assesses fidelity to the program model and service delivery.

Question 5

A social work researcher uses an unvalidated instrument to measure depression. This most directly threatens which aspect of the study?

Accepted Answer

Measurement validity

Answer

Using an unvalidated instrument threatens measurement validity because it may not accurately capture the construct being studied.

MSW - Master of Social Work Practice Test