Chapter 14

Each student will select one question to answer. You must include the page number in the book which assisted you with your answer. Each student will comment on two of their peers responses. No two students may answer the same question.


1. Why is the evaluation of policies, seemingly an essentially technical undertaking, often embroiled in controversy and politics?

2. The selection of the criteria to be used in evaluating specific policies is strongly influenced by values. Discuss this assertion with respect to the case of the evaluation of special services that is described in this chapter.

3. Discuss some similarities and differences between (a) the process of gauging policy trade-offs (as discussed in Chapter Eight) and policy assessment, and (b) policy argumentation and debates (as discussed in chapter Nine) and policy assessment.

4. Discuss the following assertion: “Negative findings may sometimes mean that a program should be expanded.”

5. Take a policy or program with which you are familiar. Discuss some design options that you could consider when evaluating it—and some of their strengths and weaknesses.

6. Why do correlational (or “backward-looking” studies) have less technical merit than forward-looking studies such as ones that randomly assign persons to control and experimental groups?

7. Do you agree with Tinder’s assertion that “consequences do not count, at least not decisively (when defending social programs)” since moral considerations, such as the extending of help to vulnerable or suffering people, are more important?

8. Discuss how people can participate in policy-assessing tasks even when they are not themselves charged with developing research studies.

9. Why are qualitative approaches to policy assessment sometimes needed?