The Science of Evaluation

The Science of Evaluation
Author: Ray Pawson
Publisher: SAGE
Total Pages: 244
Release: 2013-02-01
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1446290980

Evaluation researchers are tasked with providing the evidence to guide programme building and to assess its outcomes. As such, they labour under the highest expectations - bringing independence and objectivity to policy making. They face huge challenges, given the complexity of modern interventions and the politicised backdrop to all of their investigations. They have responded with a huge portfolio of research techniques and, through their professional associations, have set up schemes to establish standards for evaluative inquiry and to accredit evaluation practitioners. A big question remains. Has this monumental effort produced a progressive, cumulative and authoritative body of knowledge that we might think of as evaluation science? This is the question addressed by Ray Pawson in this sequel to Realistic Evaluation and Evidence-based Policy. In answer, he provides a detailed blueprint for an evaluation science based on realist principles.

Realistic Evaluation

Realistic Evaluation
Author: Ray Pawson
Publisher: SAGE
Total Pages: 260
Release: 1997-06-23
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9780761950097

Table of Contents

Evaluation for the 21st Century

Evaluation for the 21st Century
Author: Eleanor Chelimsky
Publisher: SAGE
Total Pages: 558
Release: 1997-01-28
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 0761906118

Evaluation for the 21st Century features thoughtfully written introductions to each of the main sections that provide a context and synthesis of the various evaluators' chapters. After reading this groundbreaking book, researchers and practitioners will be able to recognize these new developments in evaluation as they encounter them, place them in context, and incorporate them into their own evaluation professions and practices.

Program Theory-Driven Evaluation Science

Program Theory-Driven Evaluation Science
Author: Stewart I. Donaldson
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 253
Release: 2007-05-21
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1136677321

Program Theory-Driven Evaluation Science fills the gap between 21st century literature on evaluation and what is happening in practice. It features detailed examples of how evaluations actually unfold in practice to develop people, programs, and organizations. Commonly accepted strategies for practicing evaluation are outlined, followed by comprehe

Transformative Research and Evaluation

Transformative Research and Evaluation
Author: Donna M. Mertens
Publisher: Guilford Press
Total Pages: 417
Release: 2008-10-29
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1593859856

From distinguished scholar Donna M. Mertens, this core book provides a framework for making methodological decisions and conducting research and evaluations that promote social justice. The transformative paradigm has emerged from - and guides - a broad range of social and behavioral science research projects with communities that have been pushed to the margins, such as ethnic, racial, and sexual minority group members and children and adults with disabilities. Mertens shows how to formulate research questions based on community needs, develop researcher-community partnerships grounded in trust and respect, and skillfully apply quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods data collection strategies. Practical aspects of analyzing and reporting results are addressed, and numerous sample studies are presented. An ideal core book for graduate courses, or practitioner resource, the book includes: Commentary on the sample studies that explains what makes them transformative. Explanations of key concepts related to oppression, social justice, and the role of research and evaluation. Questions for Thought to stimulate critical self-reflection and discussion. Advance chapter organizers and chapter summaries. The book is intended for graduate students in psychology, education, social work, sociology, and nursing, as well as practicing researchers and program evaluators. It will serve as a core book or supplement in Research Methods, Program Evaluation, and Community Psychology courses.

Personalizing Evaluation

Personalizing Evaluation
Author: Saville Kushner
Publisher: SAGE
Total Pages: 244
Release: 2000-05-02
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 9780761963622

`A brilliant piece of work, adroitly fitted to the present state of affairs in program evaluation, devoted to a defensible and under-attended proposition - that we should understand programs through their recipients' - Robert Stake, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign `This book makes an important and unique contribution to evaluation' - Michael Quinn Patton, The Union Institute, Minneapolis Personalizing Evaluation challenges the mainstream approach to program evaluation by inverting the traditional relationship between program and person. Saville Kushner shows how evaluation should document individual and group experience and use this as a lens through which to read social

An Introduction to Evaluation

An Introduction to Evaluation
Author: Chris Fox
Publisher: SAGE
Total Pages: 323
Release: 2016-10-18
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1473987806

Both practical and theoretical in approach, this book is the perfect companion for student researchers and policy makers alike. It provides actionable advice for planning and implementing evaluations, while also instilling an ability to assess the evaluations of others and consider the ways in which evaluation evidence could influence policy and practice. Drawing upon a wide range of examples from policy areas like education, criminal justice, and health and social care, this book showcases how evaluation is an interdisciplinary research practice with a spectrum of applications. Each chapter contains philosophical underpinnings and applied knowledge as well as examples from published evaluations. Specific topics include how to: Choose an approach to evaluation Plan, design, and conduct evaluations Approach evaluations using theories of change Differentiate between process, impact, and economic evaluations Understand the role of quantitative and qualitative methods in data collection Use systematic reviews and other tools to assess and disseminate evaluation findings From getting started in the field to turning evidence into policy, this book will guide you through every step of the evaluation process.

Question Evaluation Methods

Question Evaluation Methods
Author: Jennifer Madans
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 299
Release: 2011-10-14
Genre: Mathematics
ISBN: 1118036999

Insightful observations on common question evaluation methods and best practices for data collection in survey research Featuring contributions from leading researchers and academicians in the field of survey research, Question Evaluation Methods: Contributing to the Science of Data Quality sheds light on question response error and introduces an interdisciplinary, cross-method approach that is essential for advancing knowledge about data quality and ensuring the credibility of conclusions drawn from surveys and censuses. Offering a variety of expert analyses of question evaluation methods, the book provides recommendations and best practices for researchers working with data in the health and social sciences. Based on a workshop held at the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), this book presents and compares various question evaluation methods that are used in modern-day data collection and analysis. Each section includes an introduction to a method by a leading authority in the field, followed by responses from other experts that outline related strengths, weaknesses, and underlying assumptions. Topics covered include: Behavior coding Cognitive interviewing Item response theory Latent class analysis Split-sample experiments Multitrait-multimethod experiments Field-based data methods A concluding discussion identifies common themes across the presented material and their relevance to the future of survey methods, data analysis, and the production of Federal statistics. Together, the methods presented in this book offer researchers various scientific approaches to evaluating survey quality to ensure that the responses to these questions result in reliable, high-quality data. Question Evaluation Methods is a valuable supplement for courses on questionnaire design, survey methods, and evaluation methods at the upper-undergraduate and graduate levels. it also serves as a reference for government statisticians, survey methodologists, and researchers and practitioners who carry out survey research in the areas of the social and health sciences.

The SAGE Handbook of Evaluation

The SAGE Handbook of Evaluation
Author: Ian Shaw
Publisher: SAGE
Total Pages: 632
Release: 2006-07-27
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1446270556

In this comprehensive handbook, an examination of the complexities of contemporary evaluation contributes to the ongoing dialogue that arises in professional efforts to evaluate people-related programs, policies, and practices. The SAGE Handbook of Evaluation is a unique and authoritative resource consisting of 25 chapters covering a range of evaluation theories and techniques in a single, accessible volume. With contributions from world-leading figures in their fields overseen by an eminent international editorial board, this handbook is an extensive and user-friendly resource.

Thinking about Program Evaluation

Thinking about Program Evaluation
Author: Richard A. Berk
Publisher: SAGE
Total Pages: 140
Release: 1999
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9780761917656

Through the use of specific examples to illustrate evaluation research goals and methods, this book provides readers with an overview of the science and politics of evaluation research. The Second Edition includes coverage of meta-analysis, selection models and instrumental variables.