NCE content area
NCE Research and Program Evaluation
Last updated September 29, 2026 · Published by Counseling Exam Assist
Short answer
All 8 NCE content areas · NCE study guide · Free NCE practice exam
Key concepts to know
| Concept | What to remember |
|---|---|
| Type I / Type II error | Type I = rejecting a true null (false positive, alpha). Type II = failing to reject a false null (beta). |
| Choosing a test | t-test: 2 groups. ANOVA: 3+ groups. Chi-square: categorical/frequency data. Pearson r: relationship. |
| Validity threats | History, maturation, testing, instrumentation, regression to the mean, selection, attrition. |
| Qualitative traditions | Phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography, case study, narrative. |
| Program evaluation | Formative (during), summative (outcome), needs assessment (before). |
| Effect size | Cohen's d shows practical magnitude, separate from statistical significance. |
Common traps on this section
- Reading a correlation as causation.
- Picking ANOVA when only two groups are compared.
- Confusing formative and summative evaluation.
Sample NCE question
A researcher compares depression scores across four treatment groups. Which statistical test is most appropriate?
- Independent t-test
- Chi-square
- One-way ANOVA
- Pearson correlation
Show answer
One-way ANOVA. Comparing means across three or more groups on one independent variable calls for a one-way ANOVA.
Other NCE content areas
- Professional Counseling Orientation and Ethical Practice — Ethics, law, roles, and professional identity
- Social and Cultural Diversity — Multicultural competence and identity models
- Human Growth and Development — Lifespan theories from infancy to late adulthood
- Career Development — Career theories, assessments, and decision-making
- Counseling and Helping Relationships — Theories, techniques, and the therapeutic alliance
- Group Counseling and Group Work — Group stages, leadership, and therapeutic factors
- Assessment and Testing — Reliability, validity, scores, and common instruments
Frequently asked questions
How much statistics is on the NCE?
You need conceptual statistics, not calculation-heavy math: which test fits which design, what p-values and errors mean, and basic descriptive stats.
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