PROFESSION AND PRACTICE OF PROGRAM EVALUATION

• NCJ Number: 59111
• Author(s): S B ANDERSON; S BALL
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 268 pages
• Corporate Author: Jossey-Bass Publishers
• Sale Source: Jossey-Bass Publishers
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: JOSSEY-BASS SERIES IN SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE AND IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Annotation

A GUIDE FOR PERSONS INVOLVED IN PROGRAM EVALUATION, THIS TEXT EXAMINES TYPES OF EXPERIMENTS, COMMON EVALUATION PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS, DATA LIMITATIONS AND ETHICAL RESTRICTIONS, AND THE FUTURE OF PROGRAM EVALUATION.

Abstract

BEGINNING WITH A DISCUSSION OF EVALUATION PURPOSES--TO CONTRIBUTE TO DECISIONS ABOUT PROGRAM INSTALLATION, CONTINUATION, EXPANSION, CERTIFICATION, OR MODIFICATION; TO OBTAIN EVIDENCE TO RALLY SUPPORT FOR OR OPPOSITION TO A PROGRAM; TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE UNDERSTANDING OF BASIC PSYCHOLOGICAL, SOCIAL, AND OTHER PROCESSES--THE BOOK TAKES UP VARIOUS ISSUES IN THE EMERGING PROFESSION OF EVALUATION. THESE INCLUDE THE PROPER ROLE AND VALUES OF EVALUATORS, THE DISSEMINATION, COMMUNICATION, AND USE OF EVALUATION RESULTS, THE PROBLEMS OF TRAINING AND ASSESSING EVALUATORS, AND THE EFFECTS OF EVALUATORS' PREFERENCES AND VALUES ON THEIR INVESTIGATIONS. EXPERIMENTAL METHODS INCLUDING QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL AND EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES, CORRELATION METHODS, SURVEYS, PERSONNEL OR CLIENT ASSESSMENT, SYSTEMATIC EXPERT JUDGMENT, AND CLINICAL OR CASE STUDIES, ARE DISCUSSED, AND SPECIAL ISSUES INVOLVED IN CHOOSING AND APPLYING THE METHODOLOGIES ARE CONSIDERED. THESE INCLUDE ATTENTION TO THE CONTEXT OF THE EVALUATION, POSSIBILITIES OF CONTAMINATION, PROBLEMS OF GENERALIZING CONCLUSIONS, AND FALLACIES IN USES OF GAIN SCORES, CORRELATIONS, AND COVARIANCE ADJUSTMENTS. KINDS OF EVIDENCE THAT EVALUATORS MAY PRESENT AS A BASIS FOR CONCLUSIONS ARE CONSIDERED, AND A TABLE DEPICTS EXAMPLES OF TYPES AND SOURCES OF EVIDENCE FREQUENTLY ASSOCIATED WITH VARIOUS METHODS OF INVESTIGATION. CONDITIONS AND SITUATIONS THAT MAKE EVALUATION UNNECESSARY ARE DISCUSSED, AND NUMEROUS EXAMPLES OF NEGATIVE AND POSITIVE EVALUATION EFFORTS ARE PRESENTED. TABLES, CHARTS, AND CHECKLISTS TO AID IN APPLYING EVALUATION PRINCIPLES ARE INCLUDED AS WELL AS RESULTS OF TWO SURVEYS THAT DESCRIBE THE TRAINING OF EVALUATORS AND EVALUATIONS OF ADULT TRAINING PROGRAMS. A BIBLIOGRAPHY AND INDEX ARE APPENDED.