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Division of Adolescent and School Health — Writing Good Goals and SMART Objectives Tutorials
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Check Your Knowledge

Goals Good? Objectives SMART?

Use the following activity to see how many of the characteristics of good goals and SMART objectives you remember. Don’t worry if you select an incorrect answer; immediate feedback will help you correct it!

Activity: Check Your Knowledge

Directions

Click the “Good Goal” box if the statement describes a good goal.
Click the “SMART Objective” box if the statement describes a SMART objective.
Click the “N/A” box if the statement describes neither a good goal nor a SMART objective.

*Please note: if you experience inconsistency when choosing a response, please de-select & re-select your choice.

Statement:

  1. Decrease the prevalence of schools not complying with HB 1159 anti-smoking policies.
    • Good Goal

      Incorrect.

      This is not a good goal because it is not stated in positive terms, uses a double negative (not complying... anti-smoking), and includes jargon. It is not easily understood.

    • SMART Objective

      Incorrect.

      This is not a SMART objective because it is neither measurable nor time-phased.

    • N/A

      Correct!

      This is not a good goal because it is not stated in positive terms, uses a double negative (not complying... anti-smoking), and includes jargon. It is not easily understood. This is not a SMART objective because it is neither measurable nor time-phased.

  2. Distribute model school health policies to schools.
    • Good Goal

      Incorrect.

      This is not a good goal because it is not a broad statement of purpose and does not provide a framework for objectives. This is a strategy/activity.

    • SMART Objective

      Incorrect.

      This is not a SMART objective because it is neither measurable nor time-phased. This is a strategy/activity.

    • N/A

      Correct!

      This is not a good goal because it is not a broad statement of purpose and does not provide a framework for objectives. It is not a SMART objective because it is neither measurable nor time-phased. This is a strategy/activity.

  3. By the end of the fiscal year, 90% of all health educators in the XYZ school district will be trained to teach the MNO asthma curriculum.
    • Good Goal

      Incorrect.

      This is a SMART objective because it is specific, measurable, and time-phased. (Achievable and realistic cannot be determined without reviewing the workplan.)

    • SMART Objective

      Correct!

      This is a SMART objective because it is specific, measurable, and time-phased. (Achievable and realistic cannot be determined without reviewing the workplan.)

    • N/A

      Incorrect.

      This is a SMART objective because it is specific, measurable, and time-phased. (Achievable and realistic cannot be determined without reviewing the workplan.)

  4. Provide coordinated support to schools, communities, and local health departments in implementing a CSH plan.
    • Good Goal

      Correct!

      This is a good goal because it is a declarative statement, jargon-free, short, concise, easily understood, stated in positive terms, and serves as a framework for objectives. It specifies an expected program effect and target population.

    • SMART Objective

      Incorrect.

      This is not a SMART objective because it is neither measurable nor time-phased.

    • N/A

      Inorrect.

      This is a good goal because it is a declarative statement, jargon-free, short, concise, easily understood, stated in positive terms, and serves as a framework for objectives. It specifies an expected program effect and target population.

  5. 75% of stakeholders utilize and reference accurate data in their reporting.
    • Good Goal

      Incorrect.

      This is not a good goal because it is not a broad statement of purpose. It also specifies a measure of success (75%), which is a characteristic of a SMART objective.

    • SMART Objective

      Incorrect.

      This statement is specific and measurable, but it is not time-phased.

    • N/A

      Correct!

      This is not a good goal because it is not a broad statement of purpose. It also specifies a measure of success (75%), which is a characteristic of a SMART objective. It is not a SMART objective because it is not time-phased.

[Flash Text Version for 508:]
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This activity is used to help you: (1) recall/reinforce the criteria for good goals and the criteria for SMART objectives; and (2) distinguish between goal statements and objective statements.

Criteria for good goals are:

  • Declarative statement
  • Jargon free
  • Short
  • Concise
  • Easily understood
  • Positive terms
  • Framework for objectives

Criteria for SMART objectives are:

  • Specific
  • Measurable
  • Achievable
  • Realistic
  • Time-phased

Good goal statement:

  • Provide coordinated support to schools, communities, and local health departments in implementing a CSH plan.

SMART objective statement:

  • By the end of the fiscal year, 90% of all health educators in the XYZ school district will be trained to teach the MNO asthma curriculum.
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