Exercises — Chapter 8: The Needs Assessment / Significance Section

Part C builds your real needs/significance section. Selected answers in the appendix.

Part A — Recall and Understand

8.1. State the threshold concept in one sentence. Why is more data often weaker than less?

8.2. List the five links of the so-what chain in order. Which two are most often skipped, and what doubt does skipping each invite?

8.3. Name four credible data sources for a needs section and what each provides.

8.4. What is a gap analysis, and why does crediting existing efforts strengthen it?

8.5. Name the four kinds of program gap (reach, access, design, results) and the project each implies.

8.6. Define fabrication, cherry-picking, and false precision, and explain why each destroys trust.

Part B — Apply

8.7. Build a chain. For a hypothetical problem (rural broadband access), write each link of the so-what chain in one sentence.

8.8. Spot the missing link. A section proves a problem exists and is widespread, then proposes a solution. A reviewer asks "isn't this already being addressed?" Which link is missing, and how do you add it?

8.9. Fix the framing. Rewrite honestly: "Overdoses in our town skyrocketed 200% last year" (the count went from 2 to 6).

8.10. Name the gap type. For each, identify whether it's a reach, access, design, or results gap: (a) a tutoring program with a 100-student waiting list; (b) a clinic open only 9–5 on weekdays in a community of shift workers; (c) a job program whose participants rarely find work; (d) a curriculum built for native English speakers used in an ESL classroom.

8.11. National + local. Write a two-sentence need that pairs a (plausible, labeled) national statistic with a local one for a problem of your choosing.

Part C — Analyze and Create (your real project)

8.12. Build your so-what chain. Write each of the five links for your project's need.

8.13. Gather three cited data points. Find at least three real, citable statistics for your need (pair national/context with local where possible). Cite each with source and year.

8.14. Write your gap analysis. Credit the existing efforts, name your specific gap (and its type), and show your project fills it.

8.15. Honesty audit. Check every number: cited? current? correctly framed? matched to population/geography? Fix any that fail.

8.16. Coherence check. Does the need you proved lead specifically to your project? Does your gap match the gap your project fills? If not, reshape the need or reconsider the project.

Part M — Mixed Review

8.17. (From Ch 7) How does this section relate to the need you stated in your executive summary? What does each require?

8.18. (From Ch 6) How does the gap analysis relate to the aims-page "gap"?

8.19. (From Ch 3 / CONTRIBUTING) Apply the three-tier citation system to a case where you lack a precise local statistic.

Reflection

8.20. Learning check-in. Did you feel the pull to pile on data (the "defensive posture") or to reach for the scariest framing? Name it and how you resisted.