"Evaluation Practice for Collaborative Growth highlights the approaches, tools, and techniques that are most useful for evaluating educational and social service programs. This book walks the reader through a process of creating answerable evaluations questions, designing evaluation studies to answe
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r those questions, and analyzing, interpreting, and reporting the evaluation's findings so they are useful and meaningful for key stakeholders. The text concludes with a devoted to the shifting landscape of evaluation practice as it faces complex systems and issues that are shaped by society. Additionally, the author provides a list of knowledge and skills needed to adapt to a changing landscape and encourages organizations to use evaluation as a mechanism for learning and adapting to change. Her orientation toward community-based approaches and social justice prevail throughout the book's content and align well with a reader's desire to be inclusive and accountable in programing efforts. Nonprofit leaders, social science professionals, and students will find this book helpful for understanding basic program evaluation concepts, methods, and strategies." (Publisher description)
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"Qualitative Communication Research Methods introduces readers to qualitative research in speech and mass communication. Award-winning scholars and authors Thomas R. Lindlof and Bryan C. Taylor guide readers through every step of the qualitative process, from developing research topics and questions
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through writing a final report. Readers are given numerous examples of work in the field to illustrate how studies are designed, carried out, written, evaluated, and related to theory. In addition to covering the theories and methods currently used in qualitative communication research, the authors also discuss important trends influencing the future of that research, helping readers make informed judgments about the significance and consequences of recent trends." (Publisher description)
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"The Handbook of Practical Program Evaluation provides tools for managers and evaluators to address questions about the performance of public and nonprofit programs. Neatly integrating authoritative, high-level information with practicality and readability, this guide gives you the tools and process
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es you need to analyze your program's operations and outcomes more accurately. This new fourth edition has been thoroughly updated and revised, with new coverage of the latest evaluation methods, including: culturally responsive evaluation; adopting designs and tools to evaluate multi-service community change programs; using role playing to collect data; using cognitive interviewing to pre-test surveys; coding qualitative data. You'll discover robust analysis methods that produce a more accurate picture of program results, and learn how to trace causality back to the source to see how much of the outcome can be directly attributed to the program. Written by award-winning experts at the top of the field, this book also contains contributions from the leading evaluation authorities among academics and practitioners to provide the most comprehensive, up-to-date reference on the topic. Valid and reliable data constitute the bedrock of accurate analysis, and since funding relies more heavily on program analysis than ever before, you cannot afford to rely on weak or outdated methods. This book gives you expert insight and leading edge tools that help you paint a more accurate picture of your program's processes and results, including: obtaining valid, reliable, and credible performance data; engaging and working with stakeholders to design valuable evaluations and performance monitoring systems; assessing program outcomes and tracing desired outcomes to program activities; providing robust analyses of both quantitative and qualitative data" (Publisher description)
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"Data quality is a cornerstone of accountability in program reporting. In the international development sector, although we are often focused on reporting, ensuring the quality of the data that we report is critical for our partners, our donors, and our beneficiaries. In addition, Data Quality Manag
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ement Plans and Routine Data Quality Assessments are both important elements of Pact’s Results and Measurement Standards. The intent of this manual is to provide guidance on how to ensure excellent data quality in all our programming. A slide set accompanying the module provides an opportunity to engage in practical exercises to test the skills outlined in this text." (Foreword)
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"The book begins with an overview of the evaluation field and program evaluation standards, and proceeds to cover the most widely used evaluation approaches. With new evaluation designs and the inclusion of the latest literature from the field, this second edition is an essential update for professi
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onals and students who want to stay current. Understanding and choosing evaluation approaches is critical to many professions, and Evaluation Theory, Models, and Applications, Second Edition is the benchmark evaluation guide. Authors Daniel L. Stufflebeam and Chris L. S. Coryn, widely considered experts in the evaluation field, introduce and describe 23 program evaluation approaches, including, new to this edition, transformative evaluation, participatory evaluation, consumer feedback, and meta-analysis. Evaluation Theory, Models, and Applications, Second Edition facilitates the process of planning, conducting, and assessing program evaluations. The highlighted evaluation approaches include: Experimental and quasi-experimental design evaluations Daniel L. Stufflebeam's CIPP Model Michael Scriven's Consumer-Oriented Evaluation Michael Patton's Utilization-Focused Evaluation Robert Stake's Responsive/Stakeholder-Centered Evaluation Case Study Evaluation Key readings listed at the end of each direct readers to the most important references for each topic. Learning objectives, review questions, student exercises, and instructor support materials complete the collection of tools. Choosing from evaluation approaches can be an overwhelming process, but Evaluation Theory, Models, and Applications, Second Edition updates the core evaluation concepts with the latest research, making this complex field accessible in just one book." (Publisher description)
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This book provides a comprehensive yet accessible guide to running randomized impact evaluations of social programs. Drawing on the experience of researchers at the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab, which has run hundreds of such evaluations in dozens of countries throughout the world, it offer
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s practical insights on how to use this powerful technique, especially in resource-poor environments. This step-by-step guide explains why and when randomized evaluations are useful, in what situations they should be used, and how to prioritize different evaluation opportunities. It shows how to design and analyze studies that answer important questions while respecting the constraints of those working on and benefiting from the program being evaluated. The book gives concrete tips on issues such as improving the quality of a study despite tight budget constraints, and demonstrates how the results of randomized impact evaluations can inform policy. With its self-contained modules, this one-of-a-kind guide is easy to navigate. It also includes invaluable references and a checklist of the common pitfalls to avoid. Provides the most up-to-date guide to running randomized evaluations of social programs, especially in developing countries Offers practical tips on how to complete high-quality studies in even the most challenging environments Self-contained modules allow for easy reference and flexible teaching and learning Comprehensive yet nontechnical
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"This textbook is an excellent introduction to quantitative audience measurement, especially to sampling and designing questionnaires. In addition, qualitative research, data analysis and the follow-up ("how research is used [...] understanding audiences [...] strategic research") are handled as wel
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l. The author, a former head of audience research for BBC World Service, combines the discussion of methods and cientific background with concrete examples in developing countries. Why is it important to train the interviewers? How to avoid mistakes by translating the questionnaires in indigenous languages? How to organize focus groups? How to interpret ratings? This publication is a gold mine of experience for anybody who needs to know more about his audience and to reflect on the own research practice." (CAMECO Update 1-2008)
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"The objective of the household survey is to measure the transformational development indicators on nutrition, immunization, education, water, diarrhoea management, household resilience, poorest households and HIV/AIDS. Development programs should aim to be able to use this survey method with a leve
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l of precision and accuracy for measuring these eight indicators. This volume of the Transformational Development Indicators (TDI) field guide explains, step by step, how to design and implement the TDI household survey. Each step in the process is clearly numbered to assist staff in using this guide. Chapters 1-5 describe the actual process of survey implementation, which includes defining the survey and area to be surveyed, preparation of the questionnaire, determination of sample size and the selection of the sample. There are also sections on data collection and bias inherent with this method. Chapter 6 describes the steps involved in data analysis using the software provided by the Development Resources Team (DeRT). The appendices include additional resources that may be useful for training and learning about household survey method, random sampling. It includes sample questionnaires, as well as a glossary and bibliography of survey literature." (Introduction, page 7)
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