Which of the following is useful in locating interventions?

• A. Needs assessment
• B. Outcome research
• C. Formative evaluation
• D. Implementation evaluations

Answer: (B)

Outcome research focuses on the results produced by programs and helps identify interventions with demonstrated impact. By examining how different interventions affect outcomes, what changes are observed, and for which groups, this approach provides concrete evidence about what works. That evidence lens makes it the most useful for locating interventions you can trust to achieve real, measurable change, and it often includes comparisons and effect sizes that guide decisions about what to adopt or expand.

Needs assessment shows what problems exist and what needs are present, but it doesn’t tell you which interventions will effectively address those needs. Formative evaluation concentrates on planning and refining a program during development, not on identifying proven interventions. Implementation evaluations look at how well a program was carried out and whether it was implemented as intended, rather than evaluating the outcomes themselves.