PSC 206 FINAL TEST QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT ANSWERS LATEST UPDATE 2026
The authors define public administration as:
a. one single definition
b. four clusters
c. eighteen descriptions
d. B & C - Answers D. Four clusters & eighteen descriptions
This individual argued that there was a need for science of administration:
a. Leonard White
b. E. Pendleton Herring
c. Woodrow Wilson
d. Theodore Roosevelt - Answers C. Woodrow Wilson
When public adminstration is said to be the "king's largesse," this is an example of:
a. the divine right of kings
b. a big-city political machine that dispenses benefits, favors, aid and assistance
c. the regulatory role of public administration
d. the duties of the public administrator - Answers B. A big-city political machine that dispenses
benefits, favors, aid, and assistance
Government regulation means that the government creates:
a. policies to control the social and economic activities of the citizenry
b. policies to control the economic and social activities of private business organizations
c. policies to control the economic and social activities of public agencies
d. all of the above - Answers D. All of the above
The founding father of public administration who wrote the essay "The Study of Administration,"
which laid the foundation for science of public administration was:
a. Thomas Jefferson
b. James Madison
c. George Washington
d. Woodrow Wilson - Answers D. Woodrow Wilson
Whatever government does or does not do can be seen as public policy (T/F) - Answers True
The philosophy of Libertarianism promotes the idea of a strong visible hand of government into the
lives of the people (T/F) - Answers False
Which of the following presidents espoused the Theory of Executive prerogative:
a. Ronald W. Reagan
b. Abraham Lincoln
c. Gerald Ford
d. William J. Clinton - Answers B. Abraham Lincoln
Which of the following is one of the typical forces impacting the head of a public agency?
a. judiciary
b. auditors
c. legislature
d. all of the above - Answers D. All of the above
Which of the following is NOT a player in the Iron Triangle?
a. the government agency administering the policy
b. the office of the president promoting the policy
c. the legislative committee creating the policy
d. the special interest group that is advocating the policy - Answers B. The office of the President
promoting the policy
The "power-elite" theory espoused by C. Wright Mills states that government is:
a. ruled by an elected majority
b. controlled by "warlords," "corporate," "chieftains," and political directorates
c. dominated by political, military, and business interests
d. B & C - Answers C. B & C
Which of the following is NOT a cabinet-level department?
a. Health & Human Services
b. Veteran's Affairs
c. Office of Management and Budget
, d. Housing & Urban Development - Answers C. Office of Management and Budget
Which of the following is an example of a regulatory commission?
a. Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
b. Department of Homeland Security
c. Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC)
d. A & C - Answers C. FCC & SEC
President Ronald Reagan asked for help from the third sector in solving America's problems. The third
sector refers to the:
a. IT sector
b. private sector
c. public non-profits and private foundations
d. the news media - Answers C. Public non-profits and private foundations
Privatization refers to the following:
a. the sale of government assets, such as railroads or housing units, to private corporations
b. the private financing of public facilities, such as prisons, toll roads and highways
c. A & B
d. Neither - Answers C. A & B
The difference between philosophy and charity is that:
a. Philanthropy is giving based on solving social problems in a developmental manner, that invests in
the future
b. Charity is the compassionate relieving of specific instances of suffering
c. Both A & B
d. Neither is correct - Answers C. Both A & B are correct
The term "devolution" means:
a. a democratic revolution
b. uploading power from the states to the federal government
c. returning power to sub-national governments
d. A & B - Answers C. Returning power to sub-national governments
Which of the following is an example of creative federalism?
a. Head Start
b. War on Drugs
c. Great Society programs
d. The War on Poverty - Answers C. Great Society programs
Picket fence federalism is a useful metaphor that suggests that bureaucrats can be seen as the
horizontal pickets of the fence, and hence they are:
a. in touch with all 3 levels of the government (federal/state/local)
b. have more operational knowledge than their bosses who are elected and come & go
c. neither A nor B
d. A & B - Answers D. A & B
The theory that government action and resulting expenditures are best placed at the local level of
government is known as:
a. public choice economics
b. microeconomics
c. supply-side economics
d. welfare economics - Answers A. Public choice economics
Which of the following is NOT included in the four levels of ethics:
a. personal morality & professional ethics
b. political values & corporate social responsibility
c. organizational codes of conduct
d. global ethics - Answers D. Global ethics
The "dirty hands dilemma" occurs:
a. when a public official takes a bribe
b. when public administrators blame superiors for their own misdeeds
c. when officials blame their subordinates for acts of malfeasance
d. when public administrators perform a wrong act to further the public good - Answers D. When
public administrators perform a wrong act to further the public good
According to the authors, a sense of honor provides an individual with:
The authors define public administration as:
a. one single definition
b. four clusters
c. eighteen descriptions
d. B & C - Answers D. Four clusters & eighteen descriptions
This individual argued that there was a need for science of administration:
a. Leonard White
b. E. Pendleton Herring
c. Woodrow Wilson
d. Theodore Roosevelt - Answers C. Woodrow Wilson
When public adminstration is said to be the "king's largesse," this is an example of:
a. the divine right of kings
b. a big-city political machine that dispenses benefits, favors, aid and assistance
c. the regulatory role of public administration
d. the duties of the public administrator - Answers B. A big-city political machine that dispenses
benefits, favors, aid, and assistance
Government regulation means that the government creates:
a. policies to control the social and economic activities of the citizenry
b. policies to control the economic and social activities of private business organizations
c. policies to control the economic and social activities of public agencies
d. all of the above - Answers D. All of the above
The founding father of public administration who wrote the essay "The Study of Administration,"
which laid the foundation for science of public administration was:
a. Thomas Jefferson
b. James Madison
c. George Washington
d. Woodrow Wilson - Answers D. Woodrow Wilson
Whatever government does or does not do can be seen as public policy (T/F) - Answers True
The philosophy of Libertarianism promotes the idea of a strong visible hand of government into the
lives of the people (T/F) - Answers False
Which of the following presidents espoused the Theory of Executive prerogative:
a. Ronald W. Reagan
b. Abraham Lincoln
c. Gerald Ford
d. William J. Clinton - Answers B. Abraham Lincoln
Which of the following is one of the typical forces impacting the head of a public agency?
a. judiciary
b. auditors
c. legislature
d. all of the above - Answers D. All of the above
Which of the following is NOT a player in the Iron Triangle?
a. the government agency administering the policy
b. the office of the president promoting the policy
c. the legislative committee creating the policy
d. the special interest group that is advocating the policy - Answers B. The office of the President
promoting the policy
The "power-elite" theory espoused by C. Wright Mills states that government is:
a. ruled by an elected majority
b. controlled by "warlords," "corporate," "chieftains," and political directorates
c. dominated by political, military, and business interests
d. B & C - Answers C. B & C
Which of the following is NOT a cabinet-level department?
a. Health & Human Services
b. Veteran's Affairs
c. Office of Management and Budget
, d. Housing & Urban Development - Answers C. Office of Management and Budget
Which of the following is an example of a regulatory commission?
a. Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
b. Department of Homeland Security
c. Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC)
d. A & C - Answers C. FCC & SEC
President Ronald Reagan asked for help from the third sector in solving America's problems. The third
sector refers to the:
a. IT sector
b. private sector
c. public non-profits and private foundations
d. the news media - Answers C. Public non-profits and private foundations
Privatization refers to the following:
a. the sale of government assets, such as railroads or housing units, to private corporations
b. the private financing of public facilities, such as prisons, toll roads and highways
c. A & B
d. Neither - Answers C. A & B
The difference between philosophy and charity is that:
a. Philanthropy is giving based on solving social problems in a developmental manner, that invests in
the future
b. Charity is the compassionate relieving of specific instances of suffering
c. Both A & B
d. Neither is correct - Answers C. Both A & B are correct
The term "devolution" means:
a. a democratic revolution
b. uploading power from the states to the federal government
c. returning power to sub-national governments
d. A & B - Answers C. Returning power to sub-national governments
Which of the following is an example of creative federalism?
a. Head Start
b. War on Drugs
c. Great Society programs
d. The War on Poverty - Answers C. Great Society programs
Picket fence federalism is a useful metaphor that suggests that bureaucrats can be seen as the
horizontal pickets of the fence, and hence they are:
a. in touch with all 3 levels of the government (federal/state/local)
b. have more operational knowledge than their bosses who are elected and come & go
c. neither A nor B
d. A & B - Answers D. A & B
The theory that government action and resulting expenditures are best placed at the local level of
government is known as:
a. public choice economics
b. microeconomics
c. supply-side economics
d. welfare economics - Answers A. Public choice economics
Which of the following is NOT included in the four levels of ethics:
a. personal morality & professional ethics
b. political values & corporate social responsibility
c. organizational codes of conduct
d. global ethics - Answers D. Global ethics
The "dirty hands dilemma" occurs:
a. when a public official takes a bribe
b. when public administrators blame superiors for their own misdeeds
c. when officials blame their subordinates for acts of malfeasance
d. when public administrators perform a wrong act to further the public good - Answers D. When
public administrators perform a wrong act to further the public good
According to the authors, a sense of honor provides an individual with:
