Which statement best describes formative and summative evaluation?

Which statement best describes formative and summative evaluation?

• A. Formative focuses on budget; summative focuses on stakeholder satisfaction.
• B. Formative and summative are the same.
• C. Formative evaluation occurs during implementation to improve processes; summative evaluates outcomes after completion.
• D. Formative evaluates outcomes after completion; summative improves processes during implementation.

Answer: (C)

Formative and summative evaluation hinge on when and why you evaluate a program. Formative evaluation happens during development or implementation to improve how the program works—gathering feedback, monitoring progress, and making adjustments along the way. Summative evaluation happens after the program is completed to judge its overall effectiveness and outcomes, guiding decisions about whether to continue, modify, or scale up the program. The statement that best describes this distinction, therefore, says formative is used to improve processes during implementation, while summative assesses outcomes after completion. The other options mix up the focus or timing—linking formative to budget or stakeholder satisfaction, claiming the two are the same, or reversing the roles by saying formative looks at outcomes after completion and summative improves processes during implementation.

Formative and summative evaluation hinge on when and why you evaluate a program. Formative evaluation happens during development or implementation to improve how the program works—gathering feedback, monitoring progress, and making adjustments along the way. Summative evaluation happens after the program is completed to judge its overall effectiveness and outcomes, guiding decisions about whether to continue, modify, or scale up the program. The statement that best describes this distinction, therefore, says formative is used to improve processes during implementation, while summative assesses outcomes after completion. The other options mix up the focus or timing—linking formative to budget or stakeholder satisfaction, claiming the two are the same, or reversing the roles by saying formative looks at outcomes after completion and summative improves processes during implementation.