NCJ Number
65199
Date Published
1979
Length
336 pages
Annotation
TO ASSIST BOTH THE PRACTICING EVALUATOR AND THE APPLIED SOCIAL RESEARCH STUDENT IN CONDUCTING COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATIONS, THIS VOLUME SKETCHES PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS FOR EVALUATION AND DETAILS EVALUATION RESEARCH TASKS.
Abstract
THE USES OF EVALUATION RESEARCH ARE DISCUSSED, WITH ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE DIVERSITY OF HUMAN RESOURCES REQUIRING EVALUATIONS, A BRIEF HISTORICAL OVERVIEW OF CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE SYSTEMATIC APPROACH TO EVALUATIONS OF SOCIAL PROGRAMS, A DESCRIPTION OF THE TYPES OF EVALUATIONS (RESEARCH FOR PROGRAM PLANNING, PROGRAM MONITORING, IMPACT ASSESSMENT, AND RESEARCH OR PROJECT EFFICIENCY), AND A SUMMARY OF EVALUATION APPROACHES. FOR BOTH POLICY-LEVEL AND TECHNICAL/ADMINISTRATIVE-LEVEL EVALUATIONS, THE REQUIREMENTS OF DEVELOPING AN INTERVENTION MODEL AND DEFINING TARGETS ARE DISCUSSED, INCLUDING DESCRIPTIONS OF SUCH ELEMENTS OF THE MODEL AS THE CAUSAL HYPOTHESIS, THE INTERVENTION HYPOTHESIS, AND THE ACTION HYPOTHESIS. RESEARCH RELATED TO PROGRAM PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT IS OUTLINED AS IT PERTAINS TO THE PLANNING AND DESIGN PHASE OF INTERVENTIONS. THE GOAL IS TO DESIGN AN INTERVENTION THAT IS DIRECTED TO THE PROBLEM AS CONCEIVED, THAT REACHES THE TARGET POPULATION DESIRED, AND THAT DELIVERS THE SERVICES INVOLVED AS INTENDED. DISCUSSION FOCUSES ON THE ASSESSMENT OF NEEDS AS A CRITICAL FIRST STEP IN THE DESIGN OF A SOCIAL INTERVENTION, PROCEDURES FOR TARGET PROBLEM AND POPULATION IDENTIFICATION, THE SELECTION OF PROGRAM TARGETS, AND FORMATIVE RESEARCH ON DELIVERY SYSTEMS. TO HELP EVALUATORS ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ACTUAL IMPLEMENTATION OF OPERATING PROGRAMS, PROCEDURES FOR MONITORING THE PARTICIPATION OF PROGRAM TARGETS ARE CONSIDERED, ALONG WITH METHODS OF ASSESSING DELIVERY OF SERVICES, AND RECEIPT OF FEEDBACK FROM MONITORING. THIS VOLUME ALSO PRESENTS A FRAMEWORK FOR IMPACT ASSESSMENT (ESTABLISHING WHETHER AN INTERVENTION IS PRODUCING ITS INTENDED EFFECTS). BOTH RIGOROUS AND APPROXIMATE METHODS OF IMPACT ASSESSMENT ARE DESCRIBED. PERSPECTIVES ON MEASURING THE EFFICIENCY OF SOCIAL PROGRAMS ARE DISCUSSED, INCLUDING BASIC CONCEPTS AND METHODOLOGY OF COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS, COST-EFFECTIVENESS ANALYSIS, AND PRACTICAL GUIDELINES FOR ASSESSING COSTS. FINALLY, POLICY ISSUES AND THE CONTEXTS AND ORGANIZATIONAL ENVIRONMENTS UNDER WHICH EVALUATIONS ARE UNDERTAKEN ARE CONSIDERED. TABULAR DATA, FOOTNOTES, REFERENCES, SOME DEFINITIONS, AND A SUBJECT AND AUTHOR INDEX ARE INCLUDED. DEFINITIONS OF KEY CONCEPTS ARE PROVIDED FOR EACH CHAPTER.