Evaluation Methodology Basics: The Nuts and Bolts of Sound Evaluation (Paperback)

What is Evaluation?
Basic Definitions
A Note About Fitting Evaluation Approach to Purpose
The Steps Involved
The Ingredients of a Good Evaluation
Identifying the Evaluand
Additional Readings
Exercises
Defining the Purpose of the Evaluation
Evaluations for Determining Overall Quality or Value
Evaluations for Finding Areas for Improvement
Questions About Absolute vs. Relative Quality/Value
Summary and Final Comments
Additional Readings
Exercises
Identifying Evaluative Criteria
Why Not Just Use Goals?
Identifying Criteria: Basic Concepts and Tools
Conducting a Needs Assessment
Identifying Other Relevant Criteria
Additional Readings
Exercises
Organizing the Criteria & Identifying Potential Sources of Evidence
The Importance of Choosing Multiple Sources of Quality Evidence
The Process Evaluation Checkpoint
The Outcome Evaluation Checkpoint
The Comparative Cost-Effectiveness Checkpoint
The Exportability Checkpoint
Additional Readings
Exercises
Dealing With the Causation Issue
Certainty about causation
Inferring causation: Basic principles
Inferring causation: Seven strategies
Choosing a blend of methods to address the causation issue
Additional Readings
Exercises
"Values" in Evaluation
The Controversy
The Three Types of Subjectivity
The Tensions Between Subjectivism and Common Sense
Where do the "Values" in an Evaluation Come From?
Additional Readings
Exercises
Determining Importance
Determining Importance: What and Why
Determining Importance: Six Strategies
Additional Readings
Exercises
The Merit Determination Step
Determining Merit: What and Why
Using Rubrics for Determining "Absolute" Merit
Using Rubrics for Determining "Relative" Merit
Making practical use of merit determination rubrics
Additional Readings
Exercises
Synthesis Methodology
Synthesis: What and Why
The Role of Costs and Comparisons in Synthesis
Synthesizing for "Grading"
Synthesizing for "Ranking"
Additional Readings
Exercises
Putting it All Together
The KEC Preliminary Checkpoints
The KEC Foundations Checkpoints
The KEC Subevaluations Checkpoints
The KEC Conclusions Checkpoints
Additional Readings
Meta-Evaluation
The five criteria for evaluating evaluations
Key points to remember in meta-evaluation
Other options for conducting a meta-evaluation
Formative meta-evaluation
Should I use meta-evaluation myself?
Additional Readings
Exercises
Answers to Selected Exercises
Sample Exam Questions
Tips for students answering these exam questions
The questions
A rubric for grading assignment and exam answers
Suggested answers to practice exam questions
Glossary
References