Test Chapter 9_Program Analysis Flashcards
The PRIMARY purpose of program analysis as it is used in government is to
help decision-makers to sharpen their judgments about program choices
While there is no complete method for program analysis that is agreed to by all the experts and is relevant to all types of problems, the MOST important element in program analysis involves the
development of alternatives and the definition of objectives or criteria
Electronic data processing is a particularly valuable tool of analysis in situations where the analyst has a processing problem solving
large input, many operations, and small output
In order for an analyst to use electronic data processing to solve an analytic problem, the problem must be clearly defined.
The BEST way to prepare material for such definition in electronic data processing is to
prepare a flow diagram outlining the steps in the analysis
There is a wide variety in the types of computer memory available and a wide range of information processing tasks. Significant trade-offs exist between size, speed, and cost. In a situation where large capacity and low unit cost are most important than access speed, the BEST memory system is the
magnetic disk
Interactive or conversational programming is important to the program analyst ESPECIALLY for
testing trial solutions in rapid sequence
Program analysis often calls for recommendation of a choice between competing program possibilities that differ in the timing of major costs.
Analysts using the present value technique by setting an interest or discount rate are in effect arguing that, other things being equal,
postponing expenditures is advantageous at some measurable rate
Of the following, the formula which is MOST appropriately used to estimate the net need for a given type of service is that net need equals
(client population x standard) - current supply
The purpose of feasibility analysis is to protect the analyst from naïve alternatives and, and MOST generally, to
anticipate potential blocks to implementation
On the basis of the above data, it appears that the one alternative which is dominated by another alternative is Alternative
C
If the feasibility constraint is absolute and fixed, then the critical trade-off is between
lower cost and higher effectiveness on one hand and faster timing on the other
A classification of an agency’s activities in a program structure is MOST useful if it highlights
trade-offs that might not otherwise be considered
CPM, like PERT, is a useful tool for scheduling large-scale, complex processes. In CPM, the critical path is the
longest path through the network
Classical evaluative research calls for the use of control groups. However, there are practical difficulties in collecting data on individuals to be used as “controls” in program evaluations.
Researchers may attempt to overcome these difficulties by
using experimental demonstration projects with participants in the different projects serving as comparison groups for one another
During the course of an analysis of the remaining “life” of a certain city’s landfill for refuse disposal, there was a great deal of debate about the impact of changing rates of garbage generation on the amount of landfill needed and bout what rates of garbage generation to expect over the next decade. Faced with the need to attempt to resolve this debate, an analyst would construct a simple model of the refuse disposal system and
do a sensitivity analysis to test the impact of alternative assumptions about refuse generation
The limitations of traditional surveys have fostered the development and use of panels. A panel is
A group of respondents that serves as a continuous source of survey information
The difference between sensitivity analysis and risk analysis is that risk analysis
includes an estimate of probabilities of different values of input factors
A decision tree, although initially applied to business problems, is a graphic device which is useful to public analysts in
formulating the structure of alternatives
The purpose of a management information system in an agency is to
structure data relevant to managerial decision-making
The analyst could REASONABLY conclude regarding productivity that
it is Impossible to make a judgment about the productivity of the firefighting staff without a judgment about the value of a response to false alarm
In the design of a productivity program for the sanitation department, the BEST measure of productivity would be
Tons of refuse collected per truck shift
The cohort-survival method for estimating future population has been widely employed. In this method,
Net migration within cohorts is assumed to be zero
Cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit analysis represent a systematic approach to balancing potential losses against potential gains as a prelude to public action. In addition to limitations based on difficulties of measurement and inadequacies in data that are typical of systematic program analysis, cost-benefit analysis suffers from a serious conceptual flaw in that
The definition of benefit or cost does not typically distinguish to whom benefits or costs accrue
If you were asked to develop a total cost estimate for one year for a program involving both a capital improvement and operating costs, the BEST way to estimate the capital cost component would be to
Divide the amortized cost of the capital improvement by the projected life of the improvement
In comparing the costs of two or more alternative programs, it is important to consider all relevant costs.
The MOST important principle in defining “relevant cost” is that
Only marginal or incremental cost should be considered in the estimate
Different techniques for projecting future costs may be suitable in different situations. Assume that it is necessary to estimate the future costs of maintaining garbage collection vehicles.
Under which of the following conditions would it be advisable to develop
A cost-estimating equation rather than to use unadjusted current data?
When it is expected that more complex equipment will replace simpler equipment
A comparison between two correlated means obtained from a small sample
T-test
A comparison of three or more means.
Analysis of variance
A comparison of the divergence of observed frequencies with those expected on the hypothesis of equal probability of occurrence.
X2 test (Chi-squared)
A comparison of the divergence of observed frequencies with those expected on the hypothesis of a normal distribution.
X2 test (Chi-squared)
A comparison between two uncorrelated means obtained from small samples
T-test
There are many different models for evaluative research.
A time-series design is an example of a _______ experimental design.
Quasi
In policy research, as in all kinds of research, it is important to develop research hypotheses early.
The MAIN purpose of a research hypothesis is to
Serve as a guide to the kind of data that must be collected in order to answer the research question.
While descriptive and casual research are not completely separable, there has been a distinct effort to move in the direction of casual research.
Such an effort is epitomized by the use of
Predictive models and measures of deviation from predictions
The one of the following which BEST describes a periodic report is that it
Provides a record of accomplishments for a given time span and a comparison with similar re spans in the past
The PRIMARY purpose of including pictorial illustrations in a formal report is usually to
Present details that are difficult to describe verbally
