Thoroughly revised and updated, this engaging text has given thousands of students and new evaluators the practical information and expert advice needed to conduct or use evaluations. In 26 concise sections, the book describes how to articulate answerable evaluation questions, collect and analyze data using both quantitative and qualitative methods, and deal with contingencies that might alter the traditional sequence of an evaluation. Special strengths of the text are its attention to individual, organizational, and community culture and emphasis on building collaborative relationships with stakeholders. An in-depth case study and related end-of-section exercises (including group activities) help students put themselves in the evaluator role. Other pedagogical features include section titles written as questions, bulleted recaps of each section, "Thinking Ahead" and "Next Steps" pointers, cautionary notes, and suggestions for further reading.
New to This Edition
*New and expanded topics: evaluation contracts, budgeting, surveys, data visualization, qualitative coding and memoing, factors affecting evaluation use, and context-sensitive evaluation.
*Revised case study with extended exercises that guide the reader to complete a simulated evaluation.
*End-of-section "Quick Read" links to recommended American Evaluation Association blog posts.
*Four entirely new sections (such as "How Do You
Chapter
Section A. What Is Evaluation?
Professional Program Evaluation
Gaining Additional Understanding
Section B. Why Do Evaluations?
Influences on Increased Understanding and Decision Making
Need for Professional Evaluation
Gaining Additional Understanding
Case Study: The Rural Parents' Support Program
Section C. Who Does Evaluations?
Multiple Orientations to Doing Evaluation
Gaining Additional Understanding
Section D. Contracting for Evaluations
Preparing the Contract/Agreement
Gaining Additional Understanding
Section E. Who Are the Stakeholders for an Evaluation?
Stakeholders, Not Audience
Who Are the Stakeholders?
Focus on Primary Stakeholders
Differences in Stakeholder Participation
Gaining Additional Understanding
Section F. How Do You Strengthen Relationships with Stakeholders?
Credibility, Respect, and Trust
Some Practical Guidelines
Gaining Additional Understanding
Section G. How Do You Describe the Program?
Learning about the Program
Gaining Additional Understanding
Section H. What Is the Organizational, Community, and Political Context of the Program?
Gaining Additional Understanding
Gaining Additional Understanding
Section I. How Do You "Understand" the Program?
Section J. What Are the Questions/Issues to Be Addressed?
What Motivates Evaluation?
What Kinds of Evaluation Questions Can Be Asked?
Getting Started on Defining Questions
Gaining Additional Understanding
Section K. What Are Instruments for Collecting Quantitative Data?
Types of Instruments for Collecting Quantitative Data
Finding Existing Instruments versus Developing New Ones
Gaining Additional Understanding
Section L. What Are Instruments for Collecting Qualitative Data?
Developing New Instruments
Interviews and Focus Groups
Surveys and Questionnaires
Gaining Additional Understanding
Section M. How Do Data Collection Issues Impact Potential Evaluability?
Again, Be Clear on the Questions
Understanding the Organization's Viewpoints
Gaining Additional Understanding
Section N. Are the Questions Evaluable?
Gaining Additional Understanding
Section O. How Do We Plan a Process-Focused Evaluation?
The Evaluation Plan and Evaluation Design
Gaining Additional Understanding
Section P. How Do We Plan an Outcome-Focused Evaluation?
The Evaluation Plan and Evaluation Design
Toward Stronger Causal Models
Intensive Case Study Design
Gaining Additional Understanding
Section Q. How Do We Manage the Evaluation?
Evaluation Activities: Past, Present, and Upcoming
The Written Evaluation Management Plan
Gaining Additional Understanding
Section R. How Are Quantitative Data Analyzed?
Describing What’s in Your Data Set
Measures of Central Tendency
Other Ways to Describe Your Data
Surprises in Your Data Set and How to Deal with Them
A Note on Population and Sample Statistics
Appropriate Statistical Techniques
Gaining Additional Understanding
Section S. How Are Qualitative Data Analyzed?
Testing the Validity of the Analysis
Gaining Additional Understanding
Section T. How Are Analyzed Data Used to Answer Questions?
Valuing in a Formative Context
Gaining Additional Understanding
Section U. How Are Evaluation Results Reported?
Issues Related to Reporting
Gaining Additional Understanding
Section V. What Is the Evaluator's Role in Helping Evaluations to Be Used?
Gaining Additional Understanding
Section W. What Are the Evaluation Standards and Codes of Behavior?
The Program Evaluation Standards
American Evaluation Association Guiding Principles for Evaluators
Gaining Additional Understanding
Section X. How Are Costs Analyzed?
Cost‑Effectiveness Analysis
Gaining Additional Understanding
Section Y. What Is the "Theme" of This Book?
The Research Origins of My Thinking
Gaining Additional Understanding
Section Z. How Can You Embark on a Program to Learn More about Evaluation?
Getting Feedback on Evaluation
Taking Full Advantage of This Book
Gaining Evaluation Expertise Beyond This Book
Gaining Additional Understanding
Appendix A. Factors Affecting Evaluation Use
Appendix B. An Evaluation Lesson
Appendix C. Use Factors: Relationship to Research Compilations
Evaluation Essentials, Second Edition
：From A to Z
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