Which stage involves evaluating outcomes after policy implementation?

• A. Agenda setting
• B. Formulation
• C. Adoption
• D. Evaluation

Answer: (D)

Evaluation is the stage where policymakers examine what happened after a policy was put into place. It involves looking at outcomes to see if the policy met its goals, assessing effectiveness and impacts, and identifying any unintended effects. This analysis helps determine whether to continue, adjust, or discontinue the policy based on real results and data.

Before this stage, agenda setting is about identifying issues that should be addressed, formulation is about designing policy options, and adoption is the formal decision to authorize the policy. But the actual checking of results and impacts comes during evaluation.