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EXPERIMENTATION REVISITED - A CONVERSATION WITH DONALD T CAMPBELL

NCJ Number
50226
Journal
EVALUATION Volume: 1 Issue: 3 Dated: (1973) Pages: 7-13
Author(s)
S SALASIN
Date Published
1973
Length
7 pages
Annotation
THIS ARTICLE PRESENTS COMMENTS ON PROGRAM EVALUATION FROM AN INTERVIEW CONDUCTED IN 1973 WITH THE PRESIDENT-ELECT OF THE AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION.
Abstract
QUESTIONS ASKED IN THE INTERVIEW DEAL WITH THE USE OF THE EXPERIMENTAL MODEL OF PROCEDURE FOR PROGRAM EVALUATION, THE RECRUITMENT OF RESEARCH SCIENTISTS TO THE PROGRAM EVALUATION FIELD, LEGISLATION ON THE NEED FOR EVALUATIVE STUDIES TO DETERMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF A PROGRAM, THE USE OF QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL DESIGNS VERSUS EXPERIMENTAL DESIGNS, STUDIES THAT SHOW NO EFFECTS, CONTROVERSIES SURROUNDING THE MERIT OF EVALUATION FINDINGS, CASES WHERE POLITICIANS AND ADMINISTRATORS USE THE FINDINGS OF A SINGLE EVALUATION STUDY AS EVIDENCE THAT A SERVICE PROGRAM IS EITHER EFFECTIVE OR INEFFECTIVE, THE FACT THAT EVALUATION RESULTS (WHETHER PUBLISHED OR NOT) ARE OFTEN IGNORED, THE ROLE OF THE EVALUATOR, THE DISINCTION BETWEEN EVALUATION RESEARCH AND ONGOING PROGRAM EVALUATION, EVALUATION AS A MANAGEMENT GUIDANCE TOOL FOR A PROGRAM ALREADY IN EXISTENCE, THE FOCUS OF EVALUATION (PROGRAM PROCESSES, PROGRAM OUTCOMES, OR GOAL ANALYSIS), THE USE OF OUTSIDE OBSERVERS AND THEIR OBJECTIVITY, SOCIAL INDICATORS, AND AREAS WHERE EXPERIMENTAL TECHNIQUES MAY NOT BE APPROPRIATE. (DEP)