Question 1

Dissemination of findings is the final step of the evaluation process. As the text illustrates, evaluations take time and resources to conduct and therefore it is important to effectively disseminate the results. What group(s) must be taken into consideration when preparing the final report?

A) Researchers
B) Publishers
C) Educators
D) Stakeholders

D

Accepted Answer

Stakeholders must be considered when preparing the final report since they are the ones who have invested time, resources, and energy into the program being evaluated. Their feedback and input will help determine the usefulness and impact of the program, and will aid in decision-making for future programs or interventions. Researchers, publishers, and educators may also be important groups to consider depending on the specific goals and objectives of the evaluation.

Question 2

Peter is preparing a technical report on an evaluation of the state's mental health programs. The project was extensive as eight research assistants along with the principle researcher, Peter, collected data from dozens of agencies. According to the text, how can information from the technical report be disseminated?

A) Presentation at a meeting
B) Giving out report
C) Informal discussions
D) All of the Above

D

Accepted Answer

All of the above options are viable ways to disseminate information from the technical report. A presentation at a meeting would allow for a more structured and organized delivery of the information to a specific audience. Giving out the report would allow for a wider dissemination of the information, as individuals could have access to the report at their own convenience. Informal discussions could also be beneficial in disseminating information to a more targeted audience and could facilitate a more interactive discussion of the findings. Thus, all of the above options should be considered when deciding how to disseminate the information from the technical report.

Question 3

In regards to the vignette from question #2, clients from a county mental health agency hear about the report and they ask Peter to provide more details on the outcomes. Peter graciously agrees to personally disseminate the findings to a group of 25 clients. How should this information be disseminated?

A) Never disseminate technical reports to clients
B) Informal discussions
C) Encrypted
D) With scientific precision and detail

B

Accepted Answer

Disseminating technical reports to clients may not be the best approach as they may not have the necessary background knowledge to understand the scientific language and details included in the report. Informal discussions may be a better approach as it allows for a more personalized interaction, which client can easily ask questions and receive more clarification from Peter.

Question 4

In regards to the vignettes from questions #2 and #3, the clients acquire the desired information about the state's mental health programs from Peter's presentation of the technical report. Subsequently, the clients inform the staff at the agency about the evaluation, and now the staff is interested in the findings. How can the findings be disseminated to the staff?

A) From media outlets
B) Literature review
C) Second-hand from the agency's administrators
D) Staff workshops

Accepted Answer

Staff workshops would be the most effective way to disseminate the findings to the staff. This allows for direct communication and interaction with the staff, which can lead to a better understanding of the evaluation and how to incorporate its findings into their work. It also provides an opportunity for discussion and feedback, which can help ensure the findings are implemented effectively. Media outlets and literature reviews may be useful for broader dissemination, but they may not reach all staff members and may not provide the same level of interaction and feedback. Second-hand information from administrators may also be unreliable and may not provide the same level of detail as a workshop.

Question 5

Many strategies can be employed in preparing an evaluation report for the Leadership Team. Rudy believes that the report should immediately address the concerns about a program or practice intervention. What strategy is Rudy using for preparing a report?

A) Highlighting background information
B) Clarifying the purpose
C) Use of political agendas
D) Social environmental perspective

Accepted Answer

Rudy is using the strategy of clarifying the purpose of the evaluation report, which is to address concerns about a program or practice intervention. This ensures that the report is focused and directly addresses the key issues.

Question 6

Upon the completion of research, a group of evaluators make multiple recommendations to the CEO about improving a program that serves people with developmental disabilities. The recommendations cover a range of individual, group, and community interventions. How should these recommendations be developed?

A) Draw general conclusions from the findings
B) Draw specific conclusions from research that evaluates similar programs.
C) Draw specific conclusions from the methodology
D) Draw general conclusions from the literature

Accepted Answer

The answer of Upon the completion of research, a group...

Question 7

A group of evaluators make several recommendations to the business directors for ameliorating issues at a childcare program. Over the course of the evaluation, the evaluators received valuable input from stakeholders. Now the same group of evaluators plans to disseminate the evaluation outcomes to the stakeholders. What strategy should they employ?

A) State recommendations in a way that challenges stakeholders
B) State recommendations in a way that entertains stakeholders
C) Inform the stakeholders on the biases of the project
D) State recommendations in ways that are relevant to stakeholders

Accepted Answer

It is important for the evaluators to communicate the recommendations in a way that is relevant to stakeholders. By doing so, they will increase the likelihood of stakeholders implementing the recommendations. It is also recommended for the evaluators to provide context and explain the biases of the project to ensure transparency and credibility. However, stating recommendations in a way that challenges or entertains stakeholders is not as effective as providing relevant information.

Question 8

After completion of the program evaluation, Helen plans to present the outcomes to the board of directors. The purpose of the evaluation is to determine whether intelligence is related to criminal recidivism. She made sure to choose the appropriate statistical test for analyzing the relationship between these two variables, and made sure to include both positive and negative findings. Given this vignette, what can Helen conclude about the strengths of the findings?

A) Theoretical
B) Clear
C) Accurate
D) Conceptual

Accepted Answer

Helen can conclude that the findings are accurate as she made sure to choose the appropriate statistical test for analyzing the relationship between the two variables and included both positive and negative findings. However, the vignette does not provide enough information to determine whether the findings are theoretical, clear, or conceptual.

Question 9

A social service agency is interested in recruiting prospective families. Therefore, the executive committee conducts a needs assessment to determine what issues may be important to potential families. According to the text, how should the results of the needs assessment be disseminated to prospective clients?

A) One-page flyer
B) Technical report
C) Newspaper article
D) Press release

Accepted Answer

The best way to disseminate the results of the needs assessment to prospective clients would be through a one-page flyer. This is because a flyer is easy to distribute and read, and it can quickly summarize the important information that potential families need to know. A technical report may be too detailed and technical for prospective clients, while a newspaper article or press release may not provide enough information to adequately inform families of the issues that are important to them.

Question 10

Maiv's goal is to publish the results of the program evaluation she conducted. More specifically, she wants the evaluation to be published in a peer-reviewed social work journal and is in the process of determining what journal is most appropriate for her submission. Why is Maiv interested in submitting the evaluation for publication?

A) Afraid of the consequences of direct dissemination
B) Wants to share outcomes with other providers
C) Is concerned about sharing results with stakeholders
D) Wants it to be inaccessible to clients

Accepted Answer

Maiv wants to share the outcomes of her program evaluation with other providers, which would likely involve publication in a peer-reviewed social work journal. This would allow for wider dissemination of the results and potentially lead to increased use of effective strategies and interventions in the field. A is incorrect because there is no indication that Maiv is afraid of any consequences of direct dissemination. C is incorrect because Maiv's concern is about selecting an appropriate journal, not about sharing results with stakeholders. D is also incorrect because there is no indication that Maiv wants to keep the evaluation inaccessible to clients.

Deck 11: Preparing and Disseminating a Report of Findings