"This pragmatic evaluator's companion from leaders in the field provides essential guidance for designing, implementing, and managing exemplary evaluations using established and emerging methods, designs, and analyses. With contributions from skilled experts, the Handbook has a unique focus on the c
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ompetencies identified by the American Evaluation Association as critical for evaluators. Balancing rigor with practical, mentor-style guidance, chapters build the reader's skills for tailoring studies creatively to address specific evaluation situations and contexts; optimizing communication and collaborative decision making; and centering equity and justice. This insiders guide is replete with detailed examples, real-world scenarios, and other helpful features, including chapter overviews and an end-of-book glossary." (Publisher description)
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"Addresses the challenges of conducting program evaluations in real-world contexts where evaluators and their clients face budget and time constraints. The book is organized around the authors’ seven-step model that has been tested in workshops and practice environments to help the evaluation impl
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ementers and managers make the best choices when faced with real world constraints. The Third Edition includes a new chapter on gender equality and women’s empowerment and discussion of digital technology and data science." (Publisher description)
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"Mixed methods (MM) evaluations seek to integrate social science disciplines with predominantly quantitative (QUANT) and predominantly qualitative (QUAL) approaches to theory, data collection, data analysis and interpretation. The purpose is to strengthen the reliability of data, validity of the fin
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dings and recommendations, and to broaden and deepen our understanding of the processes through which program outcomes and impacts are achieved, and how these are affected by the context within which the program is implemented. While mixed methods are now widely used in program evaluation, and evaluation RFPs frequently require their use, many evaluators do not utilize the full potential of the MM approach."
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"This book provides a comprehensive review of the available techniques for monitoring and evaluating social programs. Specifically the book discusses: (a) methods of evaluating social and economic projects; (b) methods for participatory and rapid assessment; (c) quasi-experimental designs; and (d) t
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he relationship between qualitative and quantitative evaluation. The authors also cover new developments in: (a) qualitative evaluation; (b) stakeholder analysis; (c) sustainability analysis; and (c) the politics of evaluation. While paying special attention to the organization of monitoring and evaluation at the project, sectoral, and national levels, this book also reviews cost-effective methods of estimating a project's impact, identifies potential beneficiaries and their information needs, and discusses the role of nongovernmental organizations in evaluating social development programs." (Publisher description)
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