question

1. Analyzing problems, studying possible policy alternatives, and evaluating the efficiency or effectiveness of policies are examples of what? a. Incremental decision making b. Policy analysis c. Assessing alternatives d. Rational decision making

answer

B

question

2. Researchers and academics conduct research to develop a rigorous and in depth understanding of public problems and policy alternatives. This approach to policy analysis is __________. a. Professional b. Political c. Scientific d. None of the above

answer

C

question

3. Being committed to specific policy values and goals, as well as ideological and partisan agendas, is known as the ____________ approach to policy analysis. a. Professional b. Political c. Scientific d. Elite

answer

B

question

4. Making modest changes in policy is known as what? a. Incremental decision making b. Rational-comprehensive policymaking c. Constructing policy alternatives d. Root cause policymaking

answer

A

question

5. Which best describes the approaches being taken by states to address the problem of cell phone use by drivers? a. Most states have banned text messaging by drivers, but states have done a variety of things with regard to cell phone use while driving b. Most states have not dealt with the issue of texting and cell phone use c. All fifty states have banned cell phone use by novice drivers d. Only a handful of states have attempted to create policies to address this problem

answer

A

question

6. A systematic and organized way to evaluate problems, policy alternatives, or the effectiveness of government programs is referred to as a. Policy formulation b. Policy legitimation c. Policy analysis d. Policy capacity

answer

C

question

7. Which is the correct sequence in the policy analysis process? a. Set agenda, formulate policy, legitimize policy, implement, and evaluate b. Analyze problem, analyze policy alternatives, develop criteria, assess c. Define problem, gather data, operationalize the problem d. Analyze problem, set criteria, implement policy and regulations, legitimize

answer

b

question

8. The ____ orientation/approach to policymaking often involves peer-reviewed research using controlled studies. a. Scientific b. Methodological c. Political d. Professional

answer

a

question

9. Which of the following conduct different kinds of policy analysis that is often very helpful to the policy-making process? a. Government agencies b. Interest groups c. Think tanks d. All of the above

answer

d

question

10. A growing sector of private organizations that conduct policy research often used by government policymakers are called a. Political action committees b. State policy institutes c. Political parties d. Think tanks

answer

d

question

11. Which of the following illustrates an operational measure of school quality? a. The number of courses offered at the school b. Standardized test scores c. The taxes available for education d. Parental comments

answer

b

question

12. Which of the following illustrates an operational measure of the safety of a community? a. Index crime rates, such as violent and property crimes b. Automobile crashes per capita c. How safe residents report that they feel on a survey d. All of the above

answer

d

question

13. A ____ approach to policy analysis focuses on understanding the underlying conditions that are causing a public problem, while the ___ approach focuses more on how to alleviate shorter term symptoms of the problem. a. Democratic/rational b. Consensual/contentious c. Root cause/proximate cause d. Underlying/rational

answer

c

question

14. ____ involves defining the problem, indicating goals and objectives to be sought, considering a range of alternatives, and evaluating each alternative before recommending a particular solution. a. Rational decision making b. Incremental decision making c. Policy evaluation d. Political analysis

answer

a

question

15. Which of the following statements best illustrates the rational-comprehensive approach to decision making? a. The government collected data about illegal immigrants (geographic location, type of employment, and how they got here) and then developed a comprehensive new policy tailored to their findings. b. The economic crisis arose quickly and the government implemented a bail-out of automakers in order to prevent the loss of jobs. c. Because a lot of children did not have health insurance, the government passed an expansion of the Medicaid program to cover more children. d. After 9/11 terrorist attacks, the U.S. soon conducted military operations in Afghanistan to reduce the threat of terrorism.

answer

a

question

16. Which of the following is an example of data that could be collected to study the root causes of poverty? a. The number of students that drop out of high school b. The number of people in poverty c. The unemployment rate d. The median family income

answer

a

question

17. Which of the following is most likely to conduct political forms of policy analysis? a. National Rifle Association b. Brookings Institution c. Massachusetts Institute of Technology d. National Academy of Sciences

answer

a

question

18. Think tanks study problems and alternatives in order to help policymakers make decisions. The type of policy analysis typically conducted by think tanks is called a. Scientific b. Professional c. Political d. Economic

answer

b

question

19. Which of the following policy analysis criteria is used if the acceptability of a particular alternative to interest groups, the general public, or politicians is a concern? a. Political feasibility b. Efficiency c. Equity d. Effectiveness

answer

a

question

20. To reduce drivers' cell phone use, should state governments institute sanctions such as tickets or fines? Or should they try to educate drivers on cell phone use? These are examples of which part of the policy analysis process? a. Construct policy alternatives b. Develop evaluative criteria c. Draw conclusions d. Define and analyze the problem

answer

a

question

21. In order to choose which policy options (such as sanctions or public education) are better than others to reduce cell phone use, policy analysts might use the criterion of efficiency. What question would they ask related to efficiency? a. Which of these options will be the most acceptable to the driving public? b. Which of these options is projected to reduce cell phone use the most? c. Which of these options will least restrict people's freedom and choice? d. For what we invest, which of these options is likely to do the best job of reducing cell phone use?

answer

d

question

22. In order to choose which policy options (such as sanctions or public education) are better than others to reduce cell phone use, policy analysts might use the criterion of liberty. What question would they ask related to liberty? a. For what we invest, which of these options is likely to do the best job of reducing cell phone use? b. Which of these options is projected to reduce cell phone use the most? c. Which of these options will least restrict people's freedom and choice? d. Which of these options will be the most acceptable to the driving public?

answer

c

question

23. Policy analysts that propose policies which align with mainstream public values are taking an approach to policy formulation known as _____. a. Contentious analysis b. Proximate cause analysis c. Adhering to professional practice standards d. Adhering to consensual norms

answer

d

question

24. The Cato Institute and the Heritage Foundation often use ____ to promote a preferred policy. a. Scientific policy analysis b. Professional policy analysis c. Political policy analysis d. Program evaluation

answer

c

question

25. Which of the following policy analysis criteria would be used if a fair and just evaluation were a concern? a. Efficiency b. Equity c. Effectiveness d. Political feasibility

answer

b

question

26. ____ involves making more minor or modest policy changes. a. Rational decision making b. Comprehensive decision making c. Feasible decision making d. Incremental decision making

answer

d

question

27. Policy analysis that puts a priority on citizen involvement and alignment with public opinion emphasizes a. Democratic political processes b. Rational comprehensive decision making c. Scientific analysis d. Pragmatic adjustments

answer

a

question

28. The purpose of policy analysis is a. Provide information and impartial assessments of options to aid the policy-making process b. Evaluate existing policy criteria c. To legitimize and implement public policies d. Provide rational comprehensive models of public behavior

answer

a

question

29. Which of the following best defines the rational-comprehensive approach to policymaking? a. Rigorous, complete analysis of the problem and the likely impacts of proposed policies b. Strong efforts to include public opinion in the policy making process c. Extensive use of cutting edge policy approaches that may lead to conflict and disagreement d. Relatively minor changes to policy that are accomplished over time in a thoughtful manner

answer

a

question

30. The case of immigration reform illustrates the importance of ____ . a. The policy tool of sanctions b. Risk analysis c. A strong problem analysis d. The policy tool of regulation

answer

c

question

31. Problem definition involves a. Defining and measuring the scope of a societal problem b. Political influence on how the problem is framed c. Conducting or reviewing research that documents a societal problem d. All of the above

answer

d

question

32. Policy analysts study the nature of the problem. Which statement below best defines what this refers to? a. The severity, scope, and causes of the problem b. The operational measures of the problem c. Primary data collection d. The evaluative criteria that should be applied to the problem

answer

a

question

33. The policy instrument of _____ refers to government attempts to convey important information to citizens in order to influence their behavior. a. Education b. Analysis c. Formulation d. Privatization

answer

a

question

34. Regulating is defined as a. The government levying taxes on certain goods b. Use of the budget process to encourage or discourage behavior c. The government providing information so citizens can make their own choices d. The government requiring certain activities be done, and if not, assessing penalties

answer

d

question

35. Market incentives as tools or instruments of policy are defined as a. Subsidies or loans to individuals b. A special category of taxing or imposing fees to encourage consumers or companies to change behavior c. Tightening regulatory requirements d. All of the above

answer

b

question

36. The U.S. government administers the Medicare program. Which of the following describes the type of policy tool being used in this situation? a. Public education b. Market incentives c. Government management d. Risk pools

answer

c

question

37. When developing policy alternatives to address a problem, the policymaker should examine ____, which refer to how well the policy has worked in a state, pilot test, or other smaller-scale attempt to implement it. a. Real-world or parallel situations b. Literature reviews c. Forecasting d. Implementation

answer

a

question

38. ____ are observable ways to define a problem. a. Cost-benefit analysis b. Operational measures c. Pragmatic measures d. Policy alternatives

answer

b

question

39. Which of the following illustrates an operational measure of school quality? a. Parental comments b. The number of courses offered at the school c. The taxes available for education d. Standardized test scores

answer

d

question

40. Which of the following illustrates an operational measure of the safety of a community? a. Index crime rates, such as violent and property crimes b. Automobile crashes per capita c. How safe residents report that they feel on a survey d. All of the above

answer

d

question

41. Indicators of sustainability refer to ___ data that attempt to measure a community's progress toward the goal of sustainability. a. Capacity b. Quantitative c. Interview d. Estimated

answer

b

question

42. Which creative thinking tool begins with an analysis of the status quo as a baseline? a. Analogy b. Brainstorming c. No-action analysis d. Quick surveys

answer

c

question

43. Examining books, journals, and reports regarding a particular problem or solution represents the use of the ____ technique of collecting information. a. Brainstorming b. Literature review c. Parallel situations d. Quick surveys

answer

b

question

44. Governments may invest in training programs for their own staff or for the public. This policy design tool is referred to as a. Capacity-building tools b. Authority tools c. Creative thinking d. Inducements

answer

a

question

45. ____ involves finding solutions to a problem by spontaneously sharing ideas without initial regard to practicality or feasibility. a. Brainstorming b. No-action analysis c. Analogy and metaphor d. Literature review

answer

a

question

46. Which of the following information sources would provide an overview of a subject or problem that would be a good place to begin the process of policy analysis? a. A specialized journal on the topic b. The American Statistical Index c. The New York Times d. An interview with a key policymaker

answer

c

question

47. Providing direct payments or benefits to individuals is an example of a. Regulating b. Subsidizing c. Educating d. Taxing and spending

answer

b

question

48. Public service announcements on television or radio represent what form of government policy tool? a. Privatization b. Regulation c. Taxing and spending d. Education

answer

d

question

49. The policy design tools that rely on the premise that most people will behave because they have been told to do so are known as a. Learning tools b. Capacity-building tools c. Hortatory tools d. Authority tools

answer

d

question

50. When the government encourages you to buy a home by allowing you to take an interest deduction, it is using which policy instrument? a. Regulating b. Educating c. Taxing and spending d. Charging fees

answer

c

question

51. The National Park Service (NPS) issues a limited number of backpacking permits at some parks. What type of policy tool is this? a. Subsidizing b. Rationing c. Contracting out d. Providing market incentives

answer

b

question

52. Local governments often hire nonprofit organizations to provide some of the services government provides, such as treatment for drug addiction or maintenance of trails. These are examples of __. a. Contracting out b. Subsidizing c. Regulating d. Educating

answer

a

question

53. In an attempt to change the behavior or attitudes of citizens, government leaders often use ____ policy tools, which refer to making public addresses or speeches to exhort citizens to do something. a. Authority b. Hortatory c. Inducement d. Sanction

answer

b

question

54. A city that encourages citizens to serve on a community sustainability advisory panel so that they will develop greater awareness and engagement is using a ____ policy tool. a. Hortatory b. Regulatory c. Learning d. Capacity

answer

c

question

55. Cities that use "visioning" exercises to get citizens to think about what they desire for future development in their community are using ____ to compare policy alternatives. a. A case study b. A parallel situation c. A literature review d. An ideal situation

answer

d

question

56. ____ refers to the process of the government choosing which specific policy instruments will be used to address a public problem. a. Policy design b. Problem analysis c. Parallel situation analysis d. Quantitative data

answer

a

question

57. Many school districts hire out private businesses to maintain school buildings or provide school lunches. In this case, the districts are using which policy tool to meet their needs? a. Privatizing b. Rationing c. Subsidizing d. Charging fees

answer

a

question

58. In the early 1990s, the state of Wisconsin pilot tested a variety of welfare reform programs such as Workfare and Learnfare. These programs helped the federal government reform its major welfare program in 1996. This is an example of a. Authority policy tools b. Taxing and spending c. The politics of problem definition d. Use of real world situations to develop policies

answer

d

question

59. Toll roads require motorists to pay for the use of the roads. Local or state governments that have toll roads are using which policy tool? a. Privatizing b. Rationing c. Subsidizing d. Charging fees

answer

d

question

60. President Obama's health care reform plan included funding for many pilot projects and special studies that will be used to select future policy options to use on a more widespread basis. The funding of these efforts is an example of the policy tool called __. a. Ration b. Hortatory tools c. Conduct research d. Use of market incentives

answer

c

question

61. Policy tools that are focused on either increasing the availability of a good or on reducing the need for that good would be looking at a problem from which perspective? a. Effective or efficient b. Supply and demand c. Liberal or conservative d. Internal and external

answer

b`

question

62. When developing policy alternatives to address a problem, the policymaker should examine ____, which refer to how well the policy has worked in a state, pilot test, or other smaller-scale attempt to implement it. a. Literature reviews b. Real-world or parallel situations c. Forecasting d. Implementation

answer

b`

question

63. When determining how to respond to rising energy costs, policymakers assessed the likely environmental, health, and safety impacts of energy exploration, development, and use. This is an example of a. Applying risk assessment approaches to analyze policy options b. The evaluative criterion of liberty c. Assessing the cost-benefit of the policy options d. Assessing the technical feasibility of the options

answer

a

question

64. Nearly every policy proposal is concerned with the criterion of ______. a. Effectiveness b. Liberty c. Technical feasibility d. Equity

answer

a

question

65. Not every state has laws that require motorcyclists to wear helmets even though they have been shown to reduce the severity of injuries in the event of an accident. States without these laws have weighed the criterion of ___ more strongly than effectiveness. a. Equity b. Efficiency c. Social acceptability d. Liberty/freedom

answer

d

question

66. Many individuals recently urged President Obama to reform health care by setting up a single payer system like the Canadian system. In developing his health care reform plan, the president ruled out that option early using the criterion of ____, because it was likely to be "dead on arrival" in Congress. a. Political feasibility b. Technical feasibility c. Effectiveness d. Equitable

answer

a

question

67. With the scarcity of government resources in the past several years, the evaluative criterion of ___ has become more and more important. a. Political feasibility b. Efficiency c. Effectiveness d. Social acceptability

answer

b

question

68. Do federally funded abstinence-only programs actually prevent teenage pregnancy? This is a question that relates to the _____ of that policy alternative. a. Effectiveness b. Equity c. Political feasibility d. Efficiency

answer

a

question

69. In some states, legislators may be more likely to propose laws allowing gay marriage than in other states. Gay marriage is more _____ in the states that pass such laws. a. Equitable b. Technically feasible c. Effective d. Socially acceptable

answer

d

question

70. ____ refers to the availability and reliability of technology needed for policy implementation. a. Technical feasibility b. Administrative feasibility c. Financial feasibility d. Technological efficiency

answer

a

question

71. Which of the following policy analysis criteria looks at the achievement of goals in relationship to the costs to achieve them? a. Effectiveness b. Equity c. Political feasibility d. Efficiency

answer

d

question

72. Which of the following policy analysis criteria deals with whether a policy has a fair process or policy outcome? a. Legitimation b. Equity c. Effectiveness d. Efficiency

answer

b

question

73. Which statement best describes the relationship of policy analysis to the policy process model? a. The two activities are essentially separate and independent activities b. Completion of the policy process model occurs first, then policy analysis begins c. Policy analysis supports the policy process at several points by increasing understanding of problems and possible solutions d. While only the government completes all steps of the policy process model, many other interest groups are involved in policy analysis

answer

c

question

74. ____ refers to the policy analysis method that assesses the potential for harm that might result (to people or to the environment) if potential hazards should occur. a. Forecasting b. Cost-benefit analysis c. Risk analysis d. Program evaluation

answer

c

question

75. Cost/benefit analysis is a useful tool in policy analysis. It can be used to a. Forecast the likely impact of various possible policy alternatives b. Provide information about the scope and nature of a problem c. Analyze the efficiency of various possible policy alternatives d. Judge the effectiveness of an implemented policy

answer

c

question

76. Evaluative criteria are a. The policy alternatives available to policy actors b. Those that measure the policy actors involved in a policy issue c. The important aspects of the policy proposal on which you will make comparisons d. Arbitrary standards that are the same for all policy issues

answer

c

question

77. This term is used in cost-benefit analysis when discussing what the value of future benefits are today: a. Discount rate b. Indexing c. Opportunity cost d. Sensitivity analysis

answer

a`

question

78. This "cousin" of cost-benefit analysis does not attempt to assign dollar values to potential benefits, but instead assumes they will occur and looks for the cheapest way to achieve them. a. Cost-effectiveness analysis b. Risk assessment c. Program evaluation d. Impact analysis

answer

a

question

79. ____ focuses on analyzing policy results and outcomes. a. Decision analysis b. Risk assessment c. Cost-effectiveness analysis d. Program evaluation

answer

d

question

80. ____ deals with the likelihood that an agency or department can implement a policy well. a. Administrative feasibility b. Efficiency c. Technical feasibility d. Effectiveness

answer

a

question

81. A difficult and relatively infrequent type of policy analysis that systematically examines conflicts and concerns about policy alternatives from the standpoint of values and rights is referred to as a. Cost-benefit analysis b. Ethical analysis c. Decision analysis d. Risk analysis

answer

b

question

82. Which government office is in charge of monitoring how other agencies conduct cost-benefit analyses? a. Office of Management and Budget b. Office of Cost Efficiency c. Council of Economic Advisors d. Council of Environmental Quality

answer

a

question

83. A local government is interested in planning for certain services for older adults as the baby boom generation ages. The agency develops estimates of the number of older adults who will be living in the area in 2015, 2020, 2025, and 2030. This is an example of a. Impact analysis b. Cost-benefit analysis c. Risk assessment d. Forecasting

answer

d

question

84. Policy analysts can estimate the value of a human life through ____. a. Contingent valuation methods b. Sensitivity analysis c. Risk evaluation d. Impact assessment

answer

a

question

85. Being stuck in traffic imposes ____ on drivers because they could be doing something more productive with their time. a. A policy gridlock b. An opportunity cost c. A risk assessment d. An inducement

answer

b

question

86. A college student could be working as a waiter and earning $20,000 annually. However, he is attending college and forgoing that income. This is an example of the ____ to attend college, a cost that the student hopes will be worth the investment in the long run. a. Discount b. Risk evaluation c. Opportunity cost d. Efficiency

answer

c

question

87. The economic policy goal of ____ refers to policies that are designed to increase productivity, commerce, sales, employment, and the general pace of activity within the economy. a. Full employment b. Economic growth c. Low levels of inflation d. Managing debts and deficits

answer

b

question

88. Attaining the goal of economic growth may make ____ more acceptable to the general public, since the public's own earnings may be increasing. a. Welfare and other redistributive programs b. An unfavorable balance of trade c. Globalization d. Unemployment

answer

a

question

89. For the past several years, the federal budget has ____. a. Run a surplus b. Run a deficit c. Run a debt d. Been fairly balanced

answer

b

question

90. In general, increasing levels of unemployment will lead to __ government revenue and __ government expenditures. a. Decreasing/decreasing b. Increasing/increasing c. Decreasing/increasing d. Increasing/decreasing

answer

c

question

91. What is the difference between the national deficit and the national debt? a. The debt is the yearly amount government expenses exceed revenue. The deficit is the accumulation of the deficits over the years. b. The deficit is based on the distribution of entitlement programs. The debt is the ceiling for the federal budget c. The deficit is the yearly amount government expenses exceed revenue. The debt is the accumulation of the deficits over the years. d. The deficit is the portion of the federal budget allocated by Congress. The debt is the portion of the budget allocated by the executive branch.

answer

c

question

92. The __ is a measure that represents the average change in price over time of a market basket of consumer goods and services. a. CPI b. FED c. GDP d. CBO

answer

a

question

93. The economic goal of stable prices is typically measured using the a. Balance of Trade (BOT) b. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) c. Monetary Supply Index (MSI) d. Consumer Price Index (CPI)

answer

d

question

94. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (2009) attempted to stimulate economic growth primarily using which economic policy tool? a. Government spending b. Regulations c. Deficit reduction d. Market incentives

answer

a

question

95. An entitlement program refers to a. A program created by an unfunded federal mandate b. A program for which people are eligible based on their economic status or age c. A regulatory program d. State-level programs where states must demonstrate entitlement at the federal level

answer

b

question

96. A ___ tax is one in which the rate of taxation is higher for individuals who earn higher incomes. a. Progressive b. Distributive c. Regressive d. Sales

answer

a

question

97. Which of the following constitute types of policy analysis? a. Political b. Professional c. Scientific d. All of the above

answer

d

question

98. With regard to effectiveness of public policies, which of the following is the most common complaint regarding government programs? a. Civil Rights b. Lack of effectiveness c. Social acceptability d. Technical feasibility

answer

b

question

99. Which of the following is an example of outcome equity mentioned during class? a. Universal college education b. Tax cuts for the wealthy c. Federal minimum wage standards d. None of the above

answer

c

question

100. In relation to sensitivity analysis, higher sensitivity equates to a. lesser impact b. greater impact c. no impact at all d. social awareness.

answer

b

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