Question 1

The case of immigration reform illustrates the importance of ______.
A) the policy tool of sanctions
B) risk analysis
C) a strong problem analysis
D) the policy tool of regulation

Accepted Answer

Immigration reform is a complex issue that requires a strong problem analysis to identify and weigh the various goals, stakeholders, and constraints involved. This is essential to develop effective and feasible policy solutions that can address the root causes of the problem, balance competing interests, and promote sustainable outcomes. While policy tools such as sanctions and regulations can be part of the policy mix, they are not sufficient by themselves to address the systemic challenges of immigration reform. Risk analysis could also be relevant, but it is not explicitly mentioned in the question or context.

Question 2

In an attempt to change the behavior or attitudes of citizens, government leaders often use ______ policy tools, which refer to making public addresses or speeches to exhort citizens to do something.
A) authority
B) hortatory
C) inducement
D) sanction

Accepted Answer

Hortatory policy tools refer to making public addresses or speeches to exhort citizens to do something. Authority refers to the power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce obedience. Inducement refers to a positive incentive or motivation given to encourage someone to do something. Sanction refers to a penalty or punishment for disobeying a law or rule.

Question 3

Which of the following illustrates an operational measure of the safety of a community?
A) index crime rates, such as violent and property crimes
B) automobile crashes per capita
C) how safe residents report that they feel on a survey
D) all of these

Accepted Answer

All of these options illustrate operational measures of the safety of a community. Index crime rates provide a quantitative measure of violent and property crimes, automobile crashes per capita offer insight into traffic safety, and surveys on how safe residents feel give a subjective measure of perceived safety. Each of these aspects contributes to understanding the overall safety of a community.

Question 4

Which of the following states wanted to enact a law that would entail requiring proof of immigration status?
A) Alabama
B) California
C) Nebraska
D) Colorado

Accepted Answer

Alabama wanted to enact a law that would require proof of immigration status.

Question 5

Which of the following illustrates an operational measure of school quality?
A) parental comments
B) the number of courses offered at the school
C) the taxes available for education
D) standardized test scores

Accepted Answer

Standardized test scores are an operational measure of school quality because they provide quantifiable data on student performance, which can be used to compare and assess the effectiveness of schools.

Question 6

______ refers to the process of the government choosing which specific policy instruments will be used to address a public problem.
A) Policy design
B) Problem analysis
C) Parallel situation analysis
D) Quantitative data

Accepted Answer

Policy design refers to the process of the government selecting which specific policy instruments will be used to address a public problem. This involves considering various options and selecting the most appropriate policy instrument or instruments that are most likely to achieve the desired outcomes.

Question 7

There are an estimated ______ million illegal immigrants residing in the United States.
A) 5
B) 7
C) 11
D) 15

Accepted Answer

According to a study by the Pew Research Center in 2016, there were approximately 11.3 million unauthorized immigrants in the United States.

Question 8

Governments may invest in training programs for their own staff or for the public. This policy design tool is referred to as ______.
A) capacity-building tools
B) authority tools
C) creative thinking
D) inducements

Accepted Answer

Capacity-building tools refer to policies that aim to strengthen the knowledge, skills, and abilities of individuals, organizations, or communities. Training programs can help build the capacity of government staff or the public, thereby increasing their effectiveness and efficiency in delivering services and achieving policy goals.

Question 9

Problem definition involves ______.
A) defining and measuring the scope of a societal problem.
B) political influence on how the problem is framed.
C) conducting or reviewing research that documents a societal problem.
D) all of these

Accepted Answer

Problem definition involves all of the above activities. Defining and measuring the scope of a societal problem requires research and data collection, which can be influenced by politics and the way the problem is framed.

Question 10

Undocumented immigrants constitute only about ______% of Alabama's workforce.
A) 2
B) 4
C) 6
D) 8

Accepted Answer

According to a study by the Pew Research Center, as of 2016, undocumented immigrants made up about 4% of Alabama's workforce.

Question 11

______ are observable ways to define a problem.
A) Cost-benefit analyses
B) Operational measures
C) Pragmatic measures
D) Policy alternatives

Accepted Answer

Operational measures are observable and measurable ways to define a problem. Cost-benefit analyses, policy alternatives, and pragmatic measures may not necessarily be observable.

Question 12

Policy analysts study the nature of the problem. Which statement below best defines what this refers to?
A) the severity, scope, and causes of the problem
B) the operational measures of the problem
C) primary data collection
D) the evaluative criteria that should be applied to the problem

Accepted Answer

"The nature of the problem" refers to understanding the severity, scope, and causes of the problem. Policy analysts need to establish the problem's nature before they can propose any solutions or alternatives to address the problem.

Question 13

Examining books, journals, and reports regarding a particular problem or solution represents the use of the ______ technique of collecting information.
A) brainstorming
B) literature review
C) parallel situations
D) quick surveys

Accepted Answer

The technique described in the question is a literature review, which involves examining existing written materials such as books, journals, and reports to gather information about a problem or proposed solution. Brainstorming is a technique for generating ideas, parallel situations involve comparing a current problem to similar situations in the past, and quick surveys typically involve collecting data directly from a small sample of people.

Question 14

______ involves finding solutions to a problem by spontaneously sharing ideas without initial regard to practicality or feasibility.
A) Brainstorming
B) No-action analysis
C) Analogy and metaphor
D) Literature review

Accepted Answer

Brainstorming involves generating a large number of ideas in a short amount of time without evaluating their feasibility. The goal is to encourage creativity and open-mindedness in order to generate innovative solutions. Option B, no-action analysis, refers to a technique for comparing the potential outcomes from a range of options and their respective merits without actually taking action. Option C, analogy and metaphor, refers to the use of figurative language to compare two dissimilar concepts in order to evoke a particular image or idea. Option D, literature review, involves conducting a comprehensive survey of existing research and literature related to a particular topic in order to synthesize the state of knowledge and inform further research.

Question 15

The policy design tools that rely on the premise that most people will behave because they have been told to do so are known as _____.
A) learning tools
B) capacity-building tools
C) hortatory tools
D) authority tools

Accepted Answer

The answer of The policy design tools that rely on...

Question 16

Which of the following information sources would provide an initial overview of a subject or problem and would be a good place to begin the process of policy analysis?
A) a specialized journal on the topic
B) The American Statistical Index
C) The New York Times
D) an interview with a key policy maker

Accepted Answer

The New York Times is a general news source that provides a wide range of coverage and can provide an initial overview of a subject or problem. It is a good place to begin the process of policy analysis as it may offer a broad perspective and help identify key issues that need further research or investigation. Specialized journals may provide more in-depth information but may not be the best place to start. The American Statistical Index focuses on data and statistics and may not provide a broad overview of a subject or problem. An interview with a key policy maker may provide valuable insights but may not offer a comprehensive overview of the topic.

Question 17

Indicators of sustainability refer to _____ data that attempt to measure a community's progress toward the goal of sustainability.
A) capacity
B) quantitative
C) interview
D) estimated

Accepted Answer

Indicators of sustainability are quantitative data because they involve numerical measurements and analysis of data to evaluate progress or performance towards achieving sustainability. Capacity, interview, and estimated data may be used to inform indicators but they are not indicators themselves.

Question 18

When developing policy alternatives to address a problem, the policy maker should examine ______, which refer(s) to how well the policy has worked in a state, pilot test, or other smaller scale attempt to implement it.
A) real-world or parallel situations
B) literature reviews
C) forecasting
D) implementation

Accepted Answer

Real-world or parallel situations provide concrete evidence of how a policy has worked in practice and can inform the development of policy alternatives. Literature reviews and forecasting can also be helpful in policy development, but they do not necessarily provide the same level of real-world evidence as examining past implementation attempts. Implementation is the process of putting a policy into action, which is important for evaluating its effectiveness, but it is not directly related to developing policy alternatives.

Question 19

Which creative thinking tool begins with an analysis of the status quo as a baseline?
A) analogy
B) brainstorming
C) no-action analysis
D) quick surveys

Accepted Answer

The creative thinking tool that begins with an analysis of the status quo as a baseline is no-action analysis. This tool involves analyzing the current situation or problem and considering what would happen if no action is taken to address it. This can help generate ideas for potential solutions or courses of action. Analogy, brainstorming, and quick surveys do not necessarily begin with an analysis of the status quo as a baseline.

Question 20

Which of the following presidential candidates campaigned for building a wall?
A) Clinton
B) Trump
C) Romney
D) Bush

Accepted Answer

Donald Trump campaigned for the construction of a wall on the US-Mexico border during his presidential campaign in 2016. Clinton, Romney, and Bush did not campaign on this issue in a significant way.

Quiz 5: Public Problems and Policy Alternatives

The case of immigration reform illustrates the importance of ______.

In an attempt to change the behavior or attitudes of citizens, government leaders often use ______ policy tools, which refer to making public addresses or speeches to exhort citizens to do something.

Which of the following illustrates an operational measure of the safety of a community?

Which of the following states wanted to enact a law that would entail requiring proof of immigration status?

Which of the following illustrates an operational measure of school quality?

______ refers to the process of the government choosing which specific policy instruments will be used to address a public problem.

There are an estimated ______ million illegal immigrants residing in the United States.

Governments may invest in training programs for their own staff or for the public. This policy design tool is referred to as ______.

Problem definition involves ______.

Undocumented immigrants constitute only about ______% of Alabama's workforce.

______ are observable ways to define a problem.

Policy analysts study the nature of the problem. Which statement below best defines what this refers to?

Examining books, journals, and reports regarding a particular problem or solution represents the use of the ______ technique of collecting information.

______ involves finding solutions to a problem by spontaneously sharing ideas without initial regard to practicality or feasibility.

The policy design tools that rely on the premise that most people will behave because they have been told to do so are known as _____.

Which of the following information sources would provide an initial overview of a subject or problem and would be a good place to begin the process of policy analysis?

Indicators of sustainability refer to _____ data that attempt to measure a community's progress toward the goal of sustainability.

When developing policy alternatives to address a problem, the policy maker should examine ______, which refer(s) to how well the policy has worked in a state, pilot test, or other smaller scale attempt to implement it.

Which creative thinking tool begins with an analysis of the status quo as a baseline?

Which of the following presidential candidates campaigned for building a wall?