PAC Policy Analysis & Evaluation 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which evaluation design is most appropriate when random assignment to treatment and control groups is ethically or practically impossible?
- Randomized controlled trial
- Quasi-experimental design (Correct answer)
- Pre-test only design
- Post-test only design
Correct answer: Quasi-experimental design
Quasi-experimental designs use comparison groups without random assignment, making them suitable when RCTs are infeasible.
Question 2: In cost-benefit analysis, the discount rate is used primarily to:
- Adjust for inflation in historical data
- Convert future costs and benefits to present value (Correct answer)
- Calculate the internal rate of return
- Measure deadweight loss
Correct answer: Convert future costs and benefits to present value
The discount rate converts future monetary values to present value so costs and benefits occurring at different times can be compared fairly.
Question 3: Which analytical framework explicitly separates technical efficiency from allocative efficiency in public program assessment?
- Logical framework analysis
- Production possibilities frontier analysis (Correct answer)
- SWOT analysis
- Stakeholder mapping
Correct answer: Production possibilities frontier analysis
The production possibilities frontier distinguishes whether outputs are produced at minimum cost (technical) from whether the right outputs are produced (allocative).
Question 4: A policy analyst finds a statistically significant program effect of +0.03 standard deviations. The MOST important additional consideration is:
- Whether the sample was randomly selected
- Whether the effect size is practically significant (Correct answer)
- Whether the study used a pre-test
- Whether the program used federal funding
Correct answer: Whether the effect size is practically significant
Statistical significance does not equal practical importance; even tiny effects can be statistically significant in large samples, so practical (substantive) significance must be assessed.
Question 5: The 'theory of change' in program evaluation is best described as:
- A legislative timeline for policy amendments
- A causal map linking program activities to intended outcomes (Correct answer)
- A budget reallocation plan for underperforming programs
- A stakeholder consensus document
Correct answer: A causal map linking program activities to intended outcomes
A theory of change articulates the causal logic connecting inputs, activities, outputs, and outcomes, making evaluation hypotheses explicit.
Question 6: Which policy analysis criterion asks whether the benefits of a policy are distributed fairly across population groups?
- Efficiency
- Effectiveness
- Equity (Correct answer)
- Feasibility
Correct answer: Equity
Equity criteria assess whether policy benefits and burdens are distributed justly, often examining impacts by income, race, or geography.
Question 7: Regression discontinuity design (RDD) relies on which key assumption to establish causal inference?
- Treatment assignment is random above and below the cutoff
- Units just above and below the cutoff are comparable (Correct answer)
- All confounders are measured and controlled
- Outcomes are measured before and after treatment
Correct answer: Units just above and below the cutoff are comparable
RDD assumes that individuals just above and below the eligibility threshold are essentially identical, so differences in outcomes at the cutoff reflect the treatment effect.
PAC Policy Analysis & Evaluation 2
Which evaluation design is most appropriate when random assignment to treatment and control groups is ethically or practically impossible?