ETHICS AND PUBLIC POLICY EXAM
REVIEW GUIDE 2026 COMPLETE
PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
●● Public Policy. Answer: A system of laws, regulatory measures,
courses of action, and funding priorities concerning a given topic
promulgated by a governmental entity.
●● Policy Process. Answer: The series of steps that policymakers follow
to create and implement public policy, including agenda setting,
formulation, adoption, implementation, and evaluation.
●● Public Issues. Answer: Societal problems that affect a large number
of people and require collective action or government intervention.
●● Personal Troubles. Answer: Individual challenges that are often seen
as private issues rather than public concerns.
●● Public Policy Actors/Stakeholders. Answer: Individuals or groups
that have an interest in the outcome of public policy decisions, including
government officials, interest groups, and the general public.
, ●● Policy Environment. Answer: The context in which public policy is
formulated and implemented, including political, economic, social, and
cultural factors.
●● Overton Window. Answer: The range of policies that are politically
acceptable to the mainstream population at a given time.
●● O'Hare Policy Framework. Answer: A framework for analyzing and
developing public policy that emphasizes the importance of context and
stakeholder engagement.
●● Trolley Experiment. Answer: A thought experiment in ethics that
explores the moral implications of making decisions that affect the lives
of others.
●● Consequentialism. Answer: An ethical theory that judges whether an
action is right or wrong based on its outcomes or consequences.
●● Utilitarianism. Answer: A form of consequentialism that advocates
for actions that maximize happiness or well-being for the greatest
number of people.
●● Utility. Answer: A measure of the satisfaction or benefit derived from
consuming goods and services.
REVIEW GUIDE 2026 COMPLETE
PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
●● Public Policy. Answer: A system of laws, regulatory measures,
courses of action, and funding priorities concerning a given topic
promulgated by a governmental entity.
●● Policy Process. Answer: The series of steps that policymakers follow
to create and implement public policy, including agenda setting,
formulation, adoption, implementation, and evaluation.
●● Public Issues. Answer: Societal problems that affect a large number
of people and require collective action or government intervention.
●● Personal Troubles. Answer: Individual challenges that are often seen
as private issues rather than public concerns.
●● Public Policy Actors/Stakeholders. Answer: Individuals or groups
that have an interest in the outcome of public policy decisions, including
government officials, interest groups, and the general public.
, ●● Policy Environment. Answer: The context in which public policy is
formulated and implemented, including political, economic, social, and
cultural factors.
●● Overton Window. Answer: The range of policies that are politically
acceptable to the mainstream population at a given time.
●● O'Hare Policy Framework. Answer: A framework for analyzing and
developing public policy that emphasizes the importance of context and
stakeholder engagement.
●● Trolley Experiment. Answer: A thought experiment in ethics that
explores the moral implications of making decisions that affect the lives
of others.
●● Consequentialism. Answer: An ethical theory that judges whether an
action is right or wrong based on its outcomes or consequences.
●● Utilitarianism. Answer: A form of consequentialism that advocates
for actions that maximize happiness or well-being for the greatest
number of people.
●● Utility. Answer: A measure of the satisfaction or benefit derived from
consuming goods and services.
