NCJ Number
54778
Journal
EVALUATION QUARTERLY Volume: 1 Issue: 4 Dated: (NOVEMBER 1977) Pages: 639-656
Date Published
1977
Length
18 pages
Annotation
A TYPOLOGY THAT CLASSIFIES EVALUATION STUDIES ACCORDING TO THEIR PURPOSES IS PRESENTED, AND ITS USE IN SELECTING RESEARCH METHODS IS DISCUSSED.
Abstract
SIX TYPES OF EVALUATION ARE DESCRIBED: STRATEGIC, COMPLIANCE, PROGRAM DESIGN, PROGRAM MANAGEMENT, INTERVENTION EFFECT, AND PROGRAM IMPACT. STRATEGIC EVALUATIONS TAKE PLACE AT THE BEGINNING OF PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AND ARE CONCERNED WITH DETERMINING THE DIMENSIONS OF THE SOCIAL PROBLEM IN QUESTION--ITS ORIGIN, SCOPE, SUSCEPTIBILITY TO INTERVENTION. COMPLIANCE EVALUATIONS MAY TAKE PLACE AT A NUMBER OF LEVELS (AGENCY, PROGRAM, PROJECT) AND ARE CONCERNED WITH DETERMINING WHETHER A GIVEN ACTIVITY IS CONSISTENT WITH LEGISLATED GOALS. PROGRAM DESIGN EVALUATIONS ASSESS THE 'EVALUABILITY' OF A PROGRAM--WHETHER IT IS DESIGNED IN SUCH A MANNER AS TO PERMIT OBJECTIVE ASSESSMENT. MANAGEMENT EVALUATIONS ARE PART OF THE MANAGEMENT CONTROL PROCESS AND ARE CONCERNED WITH THE EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS WITH WHICH MANAGERS DEPLOY RESOURCES TO ACHIEVE PROGRAM OBJECTIVES. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PROGRAM INTERVENTIONS AND OUTCOMES (OR, IN SOME CASES, THE PROCESSES INVOLVED IN PRODUCING THOSE OUTCOMES) IS ESTABLISHED IN INTERVENTION ASSESSMENTS. THE FINAL CLASS OF EVALUATION--PROGRAM IMPACT--DEALS WITH THE NET OUTPUT OF THE PROGRAM AND WITH RELATIONSHIPS AMONG OUTCOMES, PROGRAM OBJECTIVES, AND LEGISLATED GOALS. DIFFERENT ANALYTICAL AND RESEARCH METHODS ARE APPROPRIATE FOR EACH TYPE OF EVALUATION, AND THE CHOICE OF METHODOLOGY SHOULD BE BASED PRIMARILY ON THE PURPOSE OF THE EVALUATION. A TABLE SUMMARIZING MAJOR EVALUATION METHODS (EXPERIMENTAL, QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL, PREEXPERIMENTAL, SURVEY, COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS, COST-EFFECTIVENESS ANALYSIS, ADMINISTRATIVE AUDIT, OPERATIONS RESEARCH, FORMAL THEORY) IS PROVIDED, TOGETHER WITH A LIST OF REFERENCES. (LKM)