PAC Study Guide 2026
Everything you need to pass the PAC exam in one place: the exam format, every topic to study, real practice questions with explanations, flashcards, and full-length practice tests. Free, no sign-up needed.
📚 PAC Topics to Study (38)
✍️ Sample PAC Questions & Answers
1. Sensitivity analysis in policy evaluation is used to:
Sensitivity analysis examines how robust findings are by systematically varying uncertain inputs, revealing which assumptions drive the conclusions.
2. Which evaluation approach asks whether a program is the most cost-effective way to achieve a specific health or social outcome, often expressed as cost per unit of outcome?
Cost-effectiveness analysis compares program costs to a single outcome unit (e.g., cost per crime prevented) without monetizing benefits.
3. In South Dakota v. Dole (1987), the Supreme Court ruled that:
South Dakota v. Dole upheld Congress's power to withhold 5% of federal highway funds from states that did not raise the drinking age to 21, establishing broad authority for conditional spending.
4. In oral testimony before a legislative committee, a policy analyst should prioritize:
Oral testimony is most effective when it highlights key points concisely; the written record serves as the authoritative reference.
5. A policy analyst is tasked with reporting on a program's performance to Congress. Which reporting standard is most likely to apply?
GPRAMA governs federal agency performance reporting to Congress, requiring strategic plans, performance plans, and annual performance reports.
6. The precautionary principle in policy ethics holds that:
The precautionary principle justifies protective action under uncertainty when potential harms are severe, shifting the burden of proof to those claiming safety rather than those claiming harm.