NCJ Number
17766
Date Published
1973
Length
159 pages
Annotation
FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS OF EVALUATION RESEARCH AND RESEARCH PLANNING FOR THE BEGINNING STUDENT.
Abstract
DISCUSSED ARE SOME OF THE POINTS THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED WHEN AN OVERALL EVALUATION SCHEME IS BEING PLANNED. THE NATURE OF DATA AND DATA GATHERING, INCLUDING QUANTIFYING OBSERVATIONAL DATA, INTERVIEWS AND QUESTIONNAIRES, AND DIFFERENT TYPES OF TESTS, IS ALSO COVERED. AN INTRODUCTION TO EVALUATION DESIGN EXPLAINS THE PROBLEMS OF SAMPLING AND OF GENERALIZING FROM A SAMPLE TO A POPULATION, CAUSE-AND-EFFECT RELATIONSHIPS, AND DEPENDENT AND INDEPENDENT VARIABLES. DIFFERENT DESIGN TYPES ARE USED TO EXPLAIN CONTROL GROUPS AND THEIR USE. THE INTERPRETATION OF RESULTS - THE NATURE AND TESTING OF HYPOTHESES, STATEMENTS OF PROBABILITY, ETC. - IS ALSO EMPHASIZED. IN ADDITION, THE MORE ADMINISTRATIVE ASPECTS OF PROGRAM EVALUATION ARE COVERED, INCLUDING PROJECT STAFFING, ESTABLISHING LINES OF COMMUNICATION AND RESPONSIBILITY, FUNDING PROBLEMS, AND PROPOSAL WRITING.