EVALUATING THE HANDBOOK OF EVALUATION RESEARCH - REVIEW ESSAY (FROM EVALUATION STUDIES REVIEW ANNUAL, V 1, 1976 BY GENE V GLASS - SEE NCJ-38147)

• NCJ Number: 38152
• Author(s): S AMBRON; I BERKE; R CONRY; L MOSES; R PARKER; B PENCE; D ROGOSA
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 21 pages
• Corporate Author: Sage Publications, Inc
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Best Practice/State-of-the-Art Review
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A CRITIQUE OF THE 1975 HANDBOOK OF EVALUATION RESEARCH IN WHICH THE AUTHORS REVIEW THE ORIGINS, ORGANIZATION AND CONTENT OF THE HANDBOOK, AND EXAMINE EVALUATION THEORIES PRESENTED IN THAT TEXT.

Abstract

THIS CRITIQUE WAS WRITTEN BY THE STANFORD EVALUATION CONSORTIUM, WHICH IS A GROUP OF ABOUT 20 STANFORD FACULTY PLUS AN EQUAL NUMBER OF ADVANCED GRADUATE STUDENTS FROM SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS. THE REVIEW BEGINS BY DESCRIBING THE ORIGINS OF THE HANDBOOK AND OUTLINING ITS CONTENTS. IT THEN PROCEEDS TO CONSIDER GENERAL, NONTECHNICAL ISSUES OF RESEARCH STRATEGY AND TACTICS IN EVALUATION. THE AUTHORS DISCUSS SOME OF THE FEATURES - CONCEPTUAL AS WELL AS POLITICAL - THAT DISTINGUISH EVALUATION RESEARCH FROM CONVENTIONAL RESEARCH, AND RELATE THIS DISTINCTION TO CERTAIN STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF THE HANDBOOK. THE REVIEW NEXT TAKES UP DESIGN, INSTRUMENTATION, AND ANALYSIS AND EVALUATES THE ADVICE PROVIDED (OR OMITTED) BY THE HANDBOOK'S CHAPTERS. FINALLY, THE REVIEW DISCUSSES TWO VIEWS OF THE EVALUATION ENTERPRISE: THE CONVENTIONAL VIEW THAT DOMINATES THE FIELD AND THE HANDBOOK, AND AN ALTERNATIVE VIEW THAT SEEMS LIKELY TO IMPROVE EVALUATION PRACTICE. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)