MSW 525 Exam
MSW 521 MIDTERM EXAM QUESTIONS
AND SOLUTIONS
What are the different approaches to policy analysis? (3 P's) - Product, Process,
and Performance
What does product focus on? - On the actual content of the policy
What does process focus on? - On dynamics of policy formulation
What is performance concerned with? - With the description and evaluation of the
programmatic outcomes of policy choices
What does performance do? - Seek to measure the effects, effectiveness, and
efficiency of social welfare programs
What are the different types of descriptive analyses? (3 C's) (KNOW THIS) -
Content, choice, and comparative
What is content analysis? - An empirical description in terms of policy's intentions,
problem definition, goals, and means employed for achieving the goals (most
straightforward).
Some form of content analysis is evident in nearly every analytical framework,
serving as a natural starting point for many policy analyses.
MSW 525 Exam
,MSW 525 Exam
What is choice analysis? - Involves the systematic process of looking at the options
available for dealing with a social welfare problem
What is comparative analysis? - As a method of descriptive analysis involves
systematically comparing policies across two or more settings (e.g. urban vs. rural
or public vs. private orgs. age groups, diagnosis, time periods)
What are the three types of process analysis? (KNOW THIS) - Historical, social
constructionist, and implementation
What does historical analysis focus on and what does it allow? - On the evolution
of a policy. Gives policy analysis's insight into how and why a particular policy has
developed, how effective past incarnations of the policy have been, and what
historical developments have influenced the current policy
What does social constructionist analysis focus on and what does it take into
consideration? - How people create and respond to conditions, how we
subjectively construct the meanings of problems, and how our constructions
influence how we act board those conditions. The interaction of a number of
sociological, political, and economic dynamics.
Why is implementation important and what does it represent? - Critical in order to
fully comprehend a policy's effectiveness.The faithful fulfillment of policy
intentions by public servants
What does evaluation focus on and how can it be evaluated? (KNOW THIS) -
Performance. Through LOGICAL CONSISTENCY, EMPIRICALLY BASED
EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICIENCY, OR ETHICAL CHARACTER.
MSW 525 Exam
,MSW 525 Exam
What does logical evaluation involve? - 1. The internal consistency of a policy's
multiple goals
2. The consistency between a policy's goals and the means for achieving these
goals
3. The difference between intended and unintended consequences
What the two types of quantitative evaluation? - Effectiveness and Efficiency
What is the difference of effectiveness and efficiency? - Effectiveness focus on
program outcomes and efficiency focuses on cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit
What are and what does both quantitative evaluations (effectiveness and
efficiency) do? - Empirically based evaluation examining whether or not policies
reached intended goals and at what cost
What is the difference between cost-effectiveness analysis and cost-benefit
analysis? - The only monetary considerations are the costs of the program itself. An
effort is made to monetize the program's outcome in addition to its costs.
What are ethical evaluations and what does it allow? - Controversial based on the
moral or value system of the analyst or organization represented. Allows results to
be interpreted based on subjective criteria regardless of the objective conditions
(i.e. empirical evidence)
What are ethical evaluations employed by and what is the reality of them and what
is the reality? - Advocacy researchers and faith-based organizations. There is much
overlap between methods, and most policy analyses contain elements from several
of them.
MSW 525 Exam
, MSW 525 Exam
In regards to ethical evaluations, what does good policy analysis almost always
begin with? - Solid description and historical analysis, always is based on the best
empirical data available, and then proceeds to focus on logic, efficiency,
effectiveness, or ethics.
What is a social policy analysis framework? - A SYSTEMATIC METHOD for
examining a specific social welfare policy or a series of policies. No policy
analysis is ever complete or perfect. In the real world, is to a large extent
subjective.
What is the constructionist framework (5) for social policy analysis? (HSEPS) - 1.
Historical analysis (historical evolution of policy/program
2. Social analysis (social movements; social and moral values; cultural
considerations)
3. Economic analysis (macro and microeconomic analysis; interest groups)
4. Political analysis (political values; implementation; power relationships;
stakeholders
5. Social knowledge (language and discourse; subjective construction; problem
definition)
What is Gilbert and Terrell framework (6) for social policy analysis? (APDFVT) -
1. Bases for allocation (Who gets benefits)
2. Bases for provision (What are the benefits)
3. Delivery ( How are the benefits delivered)
4. Finance (How are the benefits paid for)
5. Values (Social values that support the range of choices)
6. Theories and assumptions (Theories and assumptions that underlie choices)
MSW 525 Exam
MSW 521 MIDTERM EXAM QUESTIONS
AND SOLUTIONS
What are the different approaches to policy analysis? (3 P's) - Product, Process,
and Performance
What does product focus on? - On the actual content of the policy
What does process focus on? - On dynamics of policy formulation
What is performance concerned with? - With the description and evaluation of the
programmatic outcomes of policy choices
What does performance do? - Seek to measure the effects, effectiveness, and
efficiency of social welfare programs
What are the different types of descriptive analyses? (3 C's) (KNOW THIS) -
Content, choice, and comparative
What is content analysis? - An empirical description in terms of policy's intentions,
problem definition, goals, and means employed for achieving the goals (most
straightforward).
Some form of content analysis is evident in nearly every analytical framework,
serving as a natural starting point for many policy analyses.
MSW 525 Exam
,MSW 525 Exam
What is choice analysis? - Involves the systematic process of looking at the options
available for dealing with a social welfare problem
What is comparative analysis? - As a method of descriptive analysis involves
systematically comparing policies across two or more settings (e.g. urban vs. rural
or public vs. private orgs. age groups, diagnosis, time periods)
What are the three types of process analysis? (KNOW THIS) - Historical, social
constructionist, and implementation
What does historical analysis focus on and what does it allow? - On the evolution
of a policy. Gives policy analysis's insight into how and why a particular policy has
developed, how effective past incarnations of the policy have been, and what
historical developments have influenced the current policy
What does social constructionist analysis focus on and what does it take into
consideration? - How people create and respond to conditions, how we
subjectively construct the meanings of problems, and how our constructions
influence how we act board those conditions. The interaction of a number of
sociological, political, and economic dynamics.
Why is implementation important and what does it represent? - Critical in order to
fully comprehend a policy's effectiveness.The faithful fulfillment of policy
intentions by public servants
What does evaluation focus on and how can it be evaluated? (KNOW THIS) -
Performance. Through LOGICAL CONSISTENCY, EMPIRICALLY BASED
EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICIENCY, OR ETHICAL CHARACTER.
MSW 525 Exam
,MSW 525 Exam
What does logical evaluation involve? - 1. The internal consistency of a policy's
multiple goals
2. The consistency between a policy's goals and the means for achieving these
goals
3. The difference between intended and unintended consequences
What the two types of quantitative evaluation? - Effectiveness and Efficiency
What is the difference of effectiveness and efficiency? - Effectiveness focus on
program outcomes and efficiency focuses on cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit
What are and what does both quantitative evaluations (effectiveness and
efficiency) do? - Empirically based evaluation examining whether or not policies
reached intended goals and at what cost
What is the difference between cost-effectiveness analysis and cost-benefit
analysis? - The only monetary considerations are the costs of the program itself. An
effort is made to monetize the program's outcome in addition to its costs.
What are ethical evaluations and what does it allow? - Controversial based on the
moral or value system of the analyst or organization represented. Allows results to
be interpreted based on subjective criteria regardless of the objective conditions
(i.e. empirical evidence)
What are ethical evaluations employed by and what is the reality of them and what
is the reality? - Advocacy researchers and faith-based organizations. There is much
overlap between methods, and most policy analyses contain elements from several
of them.
MSW 525 Exam
, MSW 525 Exam
In regards to ethical evaluations, what does good policy analysis almost always
begin with? - Solid description and historical analysis, always is based on the best
empirical data available, and then proceeds to focus on logic, efficiency,
effectiveness, or ethics.
What is a social policy analysis framework? - A SYSTEMATIC METHOD for
examining a specific social welfare policy or a series of policies. No policy
analysis is ever complete or perfect. In the real world, is to a large extent
subjective.
What is the constructionist framework (5) for social policy analysis? (HSEPS) - 1.
Historical analysis (historical evolution of policy/program
2. Social analysis (social movements; social and moral values; cultural
considerations)
3. Economic analysis (macro and microeconomic analysis; interest groups)
4. Political analysis (political values; implementation; power relationships;
stakeholders
5. Social knowledge (language and discourse; subjective construction; problem
definition)
What is Gilbert and Terrell framework (6) for social policy analysis? (APDFVT) -
1. Bases for allocation (Who gets benefits)
2. Bases for provision (What are the benefits)
3. Delivery ( How are the benefits delivered)
4. Finance (How are the benefits paid for)
5. Values (Social values that support the range of choices)
6. Theories and assumptions (Theories and assumptions that underlie choices)
MSW 525 Exam
