A ___ is used to collect and access outcome information over time

• A. Continuous evaluation
• B. Audit trail
• C. Performance appraisal
• D. Benchmarking

Answer: (A)

The idea here is ongoing monitoring of results. Continuous evaluation is about systematically collecting and reviewing outcome information over time, so you can see trends, measure progress, and adjust practices as needed. This ongoing data collection supports accountability and improvement, which is exactly what you want when you’re tracking how policies or procedures are performing over months or years.

An audit trail, by contrast, is a recorded sequence of actions used to reconstruct what happened in a process; it documents events, not necessarily the continuous outcomes themselves. A performance appraisal focuses on assessing an individual’s performance at a specific point or over a limited period, not on continuously gathering outcome data. Benchmarking involves comparing performance against established standards or peers, not the ongoing collection of outcome information over time.

So, continuous evaluation best fits the goal of collecting and accessing outcome information across time, supporting informed decisions and ongoing improvement.