Chapter.4 Test Bank Policy Analysis

Test Bank

Chapter 4: Policy Analysis

Multiple Choice

1. Think tanks study problems and alternatives in order to help policy makers make decisions. The type of policy analysis typically conducted by think tanks is called ______.

a. scientific

b. professional

c. political

d. economic

Learning Objective: 4-3: Compare and contrast the different types of policy analysis.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Professional Approaches

Difficulty Level: Easy

2. ______ are defined as the immediate causes of a given social problem.

a. Limited causes

b. Acknowledged causes

c. Proximate causes

d. Root causes

Learning Objective: 4-4: Describe when certain types of analysis are needed.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Deal with Root Causes or Make Pragmatic Adjustments?

Difficulty Level: Easy

3. One of the basic questions that all analysis must answer is whether they should focus on the ______ of public problems or examine policy actions that might ameliorate a pressing problem, but do nothing about its underlying causes.

a. root causes

b. proximate causes

c. incremental causes

d. factorial causes

Learning Objective: 4-4: Describe when certain types of analysis are needed.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Deal with Root Causes or Make Pragmatic Adjustments?

Difficulty Level: Easy

4. The ______ approach to policy analysis defines a problem, indicates the goals and objectives to be sought, considers a range of alternative solutions, evaluates each of the alternatives to clarify their consequences, and then recommends or chooses the alternative with the greatest potential for solving the problem.

a. political

b. generative

c. elite

d. rational-comprehensive

Learning Objective: 4-2: Show how policy analysis is used in the policymaking process.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Steps in the Policy Analysis Process

Difficulty Level: Easy

5. ______ refer(s) to the important factors that policy analysts will use to assess the proposed policy alternatives.

a. Alternative assessment

b. Evaluative criteria

c. Ex post facto criteria

d. Redistributive factors

Learning Objective: 4-2: Show how policy analysis is used in the policymaking process.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Choose Evaluative Criteria

Difficulty Level: Easy

6. Policy alternatives relating to the use of cell phones while driving are discussed in the first part of Chapter 4. Several agencies of the federal government have recommended which of the following policy actions?

a. a national ban on texting while driving

b. pressing state governments to develop and implement policies

c. organizing local governments to improve enforcement of local bans on texting while driving

d. Nothing has been proposed; that’s why it continues to be a problem.

Learning Objective: 4-1: Explain the nature of policy analysis.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Introduction

Difficulty Level: Medium

7. ______ refers to collecting and interpreting information that clarifies the causes and effects of public problems.

a. Policymaking process

b. Incremental decision making

c. Root cause analysis

d. Policy analysis

Learning Objective: 4-1: Explain the nature of policy analysis.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The Nature of Policy Analysis

Difficulty Level: Easy

8. Policy analysis draws from the ideas and methods of which of the following disciplines?

a. economics

b. sociology

c. political science

d. all of these

Learning Objective: 4-1: Explain the nature of policy analysis.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: The Nature of Policy Analysis

Difficulty Level: Easy

9. A systematic investigation of alternative policy options and the assembly and integration of the evidence for and against each option is referred to as ______.

a. policy formulation

b. policy legitimation

c. policy analysis

d. policy capacity

Learning Objective: 4-1: Explain the nature of policy analysis.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: The Nature of Policy Analysis

Difficulty Level: Easy

10. ______ involves defining the problem, indicating goals and objectives to be sought, considering a range of alternatives, and evaluating each alternative before recommending a particular solution.

a. Rational decision making

b. Incremental decision making

c. Policy evaluation

d. Political analysis

Learning Objective: 4-2: Show how policy analysis is used in the policymaking process.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Steps in the Policy Analysis Process

Difficulty Level: Easy

11. Being committed to specific policy values and goals as well as ideological and partisan agendas is known as the ______ approach to policy analysis.

a. professional

b. political

c. scientific

d. elite

Learning Objective: 4-3: Compare and contrast the different types of policy analysis.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Political Approaches

Difficulty Level: Easy

12. Making modest changes in policy is known as what?

a. incremental decision making

b. rational-comprehensive policymaking

c. constructing policy alternatives

d. root cause policymaking

Learning Objective: 4-2: Show how policy analysis is used in the policymaking process.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Steps in the Policy Analysis Process

Difficulty Level: Easy

13. A growing sector of private organizations that conduct policy research often used by government policy makers is called ______.

a. political action committees

b. state policy institutes

c. political parties

d. think tanks

Learning Objective: 4-3: Compare and contrast the different types of policy analysis.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Types of Policy Analysis

Difficulty Level: Easy

14. ______ is considered to be the more realistic approach.

a. Rational decision making

b. Comprehensive decision making

c. Feasible decision making

d. Incremental decision making

Learning Objective: 4-2: Show how policy analysis is used in the policymaking process.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Steps in the Policy Analysis Process

Difficulty Level: Easy

15. Policy analysis that puts a priority on citizen involvement and alignment with public opinion emphasizes ______.

a. democratic political processes

b. rational comprehensive decision making

c. scientific analysis

d. pragmatic adjustments

Learning Objective: 4-4: Describe when certain types of analysis are needed.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Reliance on Rational Analysis or Democratic Politics?

Difficulty Level: Easy

16. Policy analysts who propose policies that align with mainstream public values are taking an approach to policy formulation known as ______.

a. contentious analysis

b. adhering to consensual norms

c. proximate cause analysis

d. adhering to professional practice standards

Learning Objective: 4-4: Describe when certain types of analysis are needed.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Consensual or Contentious Analysis

Difficulty Level: Easy

17. Analyzing problems, studying possible policy alternatives, and evaluating the efficiency or effectiveness of policies are examples of what?

a. incremental decision making

b. policy analysis

c. assessing alternatives

d. rational decision making

Learning Objective: 4-2: Show how policy analysis is used in the policymaking process.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Steps in the Policy Analysis Process

Difficulty Level: Easy

18. Researchers and academics conduct research to seek “truth.” This approach to policy analysis is ______.

a. professional

b. political

c. scientific

d. none of these

Learning Objective: 4-3: Compare and contrast the different types of policy analysis.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Scientific Approaches

Difficulty Level: Easy

19. Which best describes the approaches being taken by states to address the problem of cell phone use by drivers?

a. Most states have banned text messaging by drivers, but states have done a variety of things with regard to cell phone use while driving.

b. Most states have not dealt with the issue of texting and cell phone use.

c. All 50 states have banned cell phone use by novice drivers.

d. Only a handful of states have attempted to create policies to address this problem.

Learning Objective: 4-1: Explain the nature of policy analysis.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Introduction

Difficulty Level: Medium

20. Which of the following conduct different kinds of policy analysis that is often very helpful to the policymaking process?

a. government agencies

b. interest groups

c. think tanks

d. all of these

Learning Objective: 4-3: Compare and contrast the different types of policy analysis.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Professional Approaches

Difficulty Level: Easy

21. Which of the following statements best illustrates the rational-comprehensive approach to decision making?

a. The government collected data about illegal immigrants (geographic location, type of employment, and how they got here) and then developed a comprehensive new policy tailored to their findings.

b. The economic crisis arose quickly, and the government implemented a bailout of automakers in order to prevent the loss of jobs.

c. Because a lot of children did not have health insurance, the government passed an expansion of the Medicaid program to cover more children.

d. After 9/11 terrorist attacks, the United States soon conducted military operations in Afghanistan to reduce the threat of terrorism.

Learning Objective: 4-2: Show how policy analysis is used in the policymaking process.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Steps in the Policy Analysis Process

Difficulty Level: Medium

22. Which of the following is an example of data that could be collected to study the root causes of poverty?

a. the number of students who drop out of high school

b. the number of people in poverty

c. the unemployment rate

d. the median family income

Learning Objective: 4-4: Describe when certain types of analysis are needed.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Deal with Root Causes or Make Pragmatic Adjustments?

Difficulty Level: Hard

23. Which of the following is most likely to conduct political forms of policy analysis?

a. National Rifle Association

b. Brookings Institution

c. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

d. National Academy of Sciences

Learning Objective: 4-2: Show how policy analysis is used in the policymaking process.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Political Approaches

Difficulty Level: Easy

24. To reduce drivers’ cell phone use, should state governments institute sanctions such as tickets or fines? Or should they try to educate drivers on cell phone use? These are examples of which part of the policy analysis process?

a. construct policy alternatives

b. develop evaluative criteria

c. draw conclusions

d. define and analyze the problem

Learning Objective: 4-2: Show how policy analysis is used in the policymaking process.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Construct Policy Alternatives

Difficulty Level: Hard

25. In order to choose which policy options (such as sanctions or public education) are better than others to reduce cell phone use, policy analysts might use the criterion of efficiency. What question would they ask related to efficiency?

a. Which of these options will be the most acceptable to the driving public?

b. Which of these options are projected to reduce cell phone use the most?

c. Which of these options will least restrict people’s freedom and choice?

d. For what we invest, which of these options are likely to do the best job of reducing cell phone use?

Learning Objective: 4-1: Explain the nature of policy analysis.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Choose Evaluative Criteria

Difficulty Level: Hard

26. The Center for American Progress and the Heritage Foundation often use ______ to promote a preferred policy.

a. scientific policy analysis

b. professional policy analysis

c. political policy analysis

d. program evaluation

Learning Objective: 4-2: Show how policy analysis is used in the policymaking process.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Political Approaches

Difficulty Level: Easy

27. The purpose of policy analysis is to ______.

a. provide information and impartial assessments of options to aid the policymaking process

b. evaluate existing policy criteria

c. legitimize and implement public policies

d. provide rational-comprehensive models of public behavior

Learning Objective: 4-2: Show how policy analysis is used in the policymaking process.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The Nature of Policy Analysis

Difficulty Level: Easy

28. Which of the following best defines the rational-comprehensive approach to policymaking?

a. rigorous analysis of the problem and the likely impacts of proposed policies

b. strong efforts to include public opinion in the policymaking process

c. extensive use of cutting-edge policy approaches that may lead to conflict and disagreement

d. relatively minor changes to policy that are accomplished over time in a thoughtful manner

Learning Objective: 4-2: Show how policy analysis is used in the policymaking process.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Steps in the Policy Analysis Process

Difficulty Level: Medium

29. The Clean Air Act Amendments took place in ______.

a. 1980

b. 1990

c. 2000

d. 2010

Learning Objective: 4-4: Describe when certain types of analysis are needed.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Comprehensive Analysis or Short-Term Policy Relevance?

Difficulty Level: Easy

30. By 2018, ______ states had banned texting for all drivers.

a. 25

b. 37

c. 47

d. 50

Learning Objective: 4-1: Explain the nature of policy analysis.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Introduction

Difficulty Level: Easy

31. In the 1980s, the federal government sponsored a decade long study of the causes and consequences of acid rain at a cost of ______ million.

a. 100

b. 300

c. 500

d. 700

Learning Objective: 4-4: Describe when certain types of analysis are needed.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Comprehensive Analysis or Short-Term Policy Relevance?

Difficulty Level: Easy

32. In which year did the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) call for a total ban on cell phone use while driving (no calling, texting, or updating)?

a. 2000

b. 2011

c. 2013

d. 2016

Learning Objective: 4-1: Explain the nature of policy analysis.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Introduction

Difficulty Level: Easy

33. Which of the following was identified as the most important step in the policymaking process?

a. constructing policy alternatives

b. policy evaluation

c. policy change

d. setting the agenda

Learning Objective: 4-2: Show how policy analysis is used in the policymaking process.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Construct Policy Alternatives

Difficulty Level: Easy

34. This text focuses on ______ or the likely success of proposals in solving the problem at hand.

a. equity

b. feasibility

c. effectiveness

d. efficiency

Learning Objective: 4-2: Show how policy analysis is used in the policymaking process.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Choose Evaluative Criteria

Difficulty Level: Easy

Short Answer

1. What is the first step in policy analysis?

Learning Objective: 4-2: Show how policy analysis is used in the policymaking process.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Steps in the Policy Analysis Process

Difficulty Level: Easy

2. Why is the construction of policy alternatives considered to be the most important stage of the policy analysis process?

Learning Objective: 4-2: Show how policy analysis is used in the policymaking process.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Construct Policy Alternatives

Difficulty Level: Medium

3. What are some examples of evaluative criteria that can be used in policy analysis?

Learning Objective: 4-2: Show how policy analysis is used in the policymaking process.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Choose Evaluative Criteria

Difficulty Level: Easy

4. What is the purpose of scientific approaches to policy analysis?

Learning Objective: 4-3: Compare and contrast the different types of policy analysis.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Types of Policy Analysis

Difficulty Level: Easy

5. Explain the professional approach to policy analysis.

Learning Objective: 4-3: Compare and contrast the different types of policy analysis.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Types of Policy Analysis

Difficulty Level: Easy

6. Explain the political approach to policy analysis.

Learning Objective: 4-3: Compare and contrast the different types of policy analysis.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Types of Policy Analysis

Difficulty Level: Easy

7. Compare and contrast rational-comprehensive decision making and incremental decision making.

Learning Objective: 4-2: Show how policy analysis is used in the policymaking process.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Steps in the Policy Analysis Process

Difficulty Level: Hard

8. Explain how policy analysis can cover many different activities.

Learning Objective: 4-1: Explain the nature of policy analysis.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The Nature of Policy Analysis

Difficulty Level: Easy

9. What is the purpose of policy analysis?

Learning Objective: 4-1: Explain the nature of policy analysis.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The Nature of Policy Analysis

Difficulty Level: Easy

10. Provide an example of a think tank that specializes in policy analysis.

Learning Objective: 4-1: Explain the nature of policy analysis.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Types of Policy Analysis

Difficulty Level: Easy

11. What does the term problem mean for policy analysts?

Learning Objective: 4-2: Show how policy analysis is used in the policymaking process.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Define and Analyze the Problem

Difficulty Level: Medium

12. What do policy analysts have to do when assessing the alternatives?

Learning Objective: 4-2: Show how policy analysis is used in the policymaking process.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Assess the Alternatives

Difficulty Level: Medium

13. Why do most studies not recommend a single policy action?

Learning Objective: 4-2: Show how policy analysis is used in the policymaking process.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Draw Conclusions

Difficulty Level: Medium

14. Why do academic scientists (social and natural) tend to favor rigorous, comprehensive studies?

Learning Objective: 4-4: Describe when certain types of analysis are needed.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Comprehensive Analysis or Short-Term Policy Relevance?

Difficulty Level: Medium

15. What is the primary focus of the text?

Learning Objective: 4-4: Describe when certain types of analysis are needed.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Other Aspects of Policy Analysis

Difficulty Level: Easy

16. Why do the perspectives and approaches of policy analysis apply to institutional issues as well as substantive policy questions?

Learning Objective: 4-4: Describe when certain types of analysis are needed.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Other Aspects of Policy Analysis

Difficulty Level: Medium

17. Should analysis adhere to consensual norms or should they propose new values or ways of thinking?

Learning Objective: 4-4: Describe when certain types of analysis are needed.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Other Aspects of Policy Analysis

Difficulty Level: Medium

Essay

1. Explain the difference between consensual and contentious policy analysis.

Learning Objective: 4-4: Describe when certain types of analysis are needed.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Other Aspects of Policy Analysis

Difficulty Level: Medium

2. What kind of information would you want to collect to conduct a technical feasibility analysis of a missile defense system for the United States?

Learning Objective: 4-2: Show how policy analysis is used in the policymaking process.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Choose Evaluative Criteria

Difficulty Level: Hard

3. Which approach to policy analysis do you believe is rigorous?

Learning Objective: 4-3: Compare and contrast the different types of policy analysis.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Types of Policy Analysis

Difficulty Level: Medium

4. Policy analysis has been called “part science, part judgment.” Explain what this means.

Learning Objective: 4-1: Explain the nature of policy analysis.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The Nature of Policy Analysis

Difficulty Level: Medium

5. Explain what “policy analysis” is and what it entails.

Learning Objective: 4-1: Explain the nature of policy analysis.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The Nature of Policy Analysis

Difficulty Level: Medium

6. In policy analysis, what is involved in “analyzing the problem”? What are the challenges one faces in doing so? And what is the benefit of a good analysis to policymaking?

Learning Objective: 4-2: Show how policy analysis is used in the policymaking process.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Various

Difficulty Level: Hard

7. Describe the objectives, advantages, and limitations of the three types of policy analysis. Provide examples of organizations or studies for each type.

Learning Objective: 4-3: Compare and contrast the different types of policy analysis.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Types of Policy Analysis

Difficulty Level: Hard

8. Discuss the five major steps involved in the policy analysis process. What types of questions are asked in each step? Provide an example for each step.

Learning Objective: 4-2: Show how policy analysis is used in the policymaking process.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Steps in the Policy Analysis Process

Difficulty Level: Medium

9. Give an example of the kind of organization that would implement each policy analysis approach.

Learning Objective: 4-3: Compare and contrast the different types of policy analysis.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Types of Policy Analysis

Difficulty Level: Hard

10. Why has the shift in the political environment (i.e. a dramatic rise in think tanks and increase of interest groups that seek to shape public opinion and affect the policy process) been more evident at the national level?

Learning Objective: 4-3: Compare and contrast the different types of policy analysis.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Types of Policy Analysis

Difficulty Level: Hard