What is formative evaluation and how does it differ from summative evaluation?

• A. Both evaluate only financial costs.
• B. Formative evaluation occurs during development to improve the program; summative evaluation occurs after implementation to judge effectiveness and outcomes.
• C. Formative evaluation measures external factors; summative measures internal feedback.
• D. Formative evaluation is conducted after program completion; summative is ongoing during development.

Answer: (B)

Formative evaluation is used to improve a program while it’s being developed or implemented. It focuses on collecting feedback and process information so you can adjust design, materials, delivery, and operations in real time, making refinements before the program is finalized. The aim is to enhance quality and effectiveness through ongoing learning.

Summative evaluation, by contrast, takes place after the program is fully implemented and looks at overall success—whether the program achieved its stated goals, what outcomes occurred, and what value it delivered. It’s about judging effectiveness and impact once activities are complete.

A useful example: when piloting a new physical activity program, formative evaluation might involve testing a session with a small group and using participant feedback to tweak session length, instructions, or equipment. After the full program runs, summative evaluation would measure outcomes like changes in participants’ activity levels or health indicators to determine overall impact.

So the statement that describes formative evaluation during development to improve the program and summative evaluation after implementation to judge effectiveness and outcomes is the best match. The other descriptions misstate timing or purpose, such as focusing only on costs, or mislabeling what is measured or when the evaluation occurs.