The ABCs of Evaluation: Timeless Techniques for Program and Project Managers, 3rd Edition
Thoroughly revised and updated, this third edition of the bestselling book offers an introduction to program evaluation including information on stakeholder relationships, program design, data collection and analysis, reporting results, and other important steps. This edition expands coverage of evaluation models and logic models. Written for any program type or setting, The ABCs of Evaluation shows how to select participants for the evaluation and how to deal with multiple goals and objectives—including those of the organization, the staff, and the client. All references and pedagogical features including learning objectives, key terms, and questions for discussion have been updated.
Table of Contents:
Preface vii
The Authors xv
1 What is Evaluation? 1
Common Denominators 3
Two Definitions of Evaluation 4
Evaluating Efficiency, Effectiveness, and Impact 5
Evaluating Alternatives 8
Identifying Areas to Improve 8
Other Levels 10
Formal Reasons to Evaluate 12
Practical Application 15
Formative and Summative Evaluations 16
Putting It All Together 16
Key Words and Concepts 24
Questions and Exercises 24
Further Reading 27
2 Why Evaluate? 29
Grants and Grantsmanship 31
Benefits 33
Limitations 35
Considerations 36
Putting It All Together 40
Key Words and Concepts 40
Questions and Exercise 43
Further Reading 46
3 Decision Making: Whom to Involve, How, and Why? 47
Program and Project Cycles 49
Evaluation and Monitoring 52
Program Planning Cycle and Evaluation 57
Putting It All Together 61
Key Words and Concepts 65
Questions and Exercises 65
Further Reading 73
4 Starting Point: The Evaluator’s Program Description 75
What an Evaluator’s Program Description Can Do 77
Developing an Evaluator’s Program Description 78
Putting It All Together 83
Key Words and Concepts 84
Questions and Exercises 84
Further Reading 96
5 Choosing an Evaluation Model 97
More Than One Way to Evaluate 98
Four Evaluation Models 101
Other Models 108
Choosing the Right Model 110
Evaluation Design Format 111
Other Considerations 114
Putting It All Together 114
Key Words and Concepts 115
Questions and Exercise 115
Further Reading 117
6 Data Sources 119
Starting Point 120
Qualitative and Quantitative Data Sources 124
Four Levels of Data 125
Nature of Data Collection 127
Existing Data 128
Newly Collected Data 130
Putting It All Together 141
Key Words and Concepts 141
Questions and Exercise 141
Further Reading 144
7 Data Analysis 147
Data Analysis 148
Data 150
Terms 151
Levels of Data 157
Putting It All Together 164
Key Words and Concepts 164
Questions and Exercise 165
Further Reading 167
Software for Personal Computers 168
8 Is It Evaluation or Is It Research? 169
Determining Evaluation or Research from Intent 170
Determining Evaluation or Research from Design 172
Qualitative and Quantitative Characteristics 174
Sampling 175
Sampling and Surveys 180
Putting It All Together 181
Key Words and Concepts 183
Questions and Exercise 183
Further Reading 184
9 Writing the Evaluation Report 185
Communicating Your Findings 187
Evaluation Reports 188
The Report Outline 192
Putting It All Together 201
Key Words and Concepts 202
Questions and Exercise 202
Further Reading 203
10 Evaluation as a Business 205
Is There a Market for Program Evaluation? 206
How Do You Find the Business? 211
Proactive Resources 213
Reactive Resources 216
Emergency Resources 216
How Do You Negotiate a Contract? 217
Keeping the Business Alive 222
Putting It All Together 224
Key Words and Concepts 225
Further Reading 225
A: More on Data Analysis 227
Analyses for Each Level 227
Significance Testing 231
Statistical and Practical Significance 235
B: Sample Evaluation Report 237
C: Sample Evaluation Contract 271
References 277
Index 281
