Evaluating Social Programs and Problems

Evaluating Social Programs and Problems PDF Author: Stewart I. Donaldson
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 113563632X
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 219

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Book Description
This book presents visions of how to solve social problems in the 21st century and how programs SHOULD be evaluated, not how they will be evaluated.

Evaluating Social Programs and Problems

Evaluating Social Programs and Problems PDF Author: Stewart I. Donaldson
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 113563632X
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 219

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Book Description
This book presents visions of how to solve social problems in the 21st century and how programs SHOULD be evaluated, not how they will be evaluated.

Impact Evaluation in Practice, Second Edition

Impact Evaluation in Practice, Second Edition PDF Author: Paul J. Gertler
Publisher: World Bank Publications
ISBN: 1464807809
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 444

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Book Description
The second edition of the Impact Evaluation in Practice handbook is a comprehensive and accessible introduction to impact evaluation for policy makers and development practitioners. First published in 2011, it has been used widely across the development and academic communities. The book incorporates real-world examples to present practical guidelines for designing and implementing impact evaluations. Readers will gain an understanding of impact evaluations and the best ways to use them to design evidence-based policies and programs. The updated version covers the newest techniques for evaluating programs and includes state-of-the-art implementation advice, as well as an expanded set of examples and case studies that draw on recent development challenges. It also includes new material on research ethics and partnerships to conduct impact evaluation. The handbook is divided into four sections: Part One discusses what to evaluate and why; Part Two presents the main impact evaluation methods; Part Three addresses how to manage impact evaluations; Part Four reviews impact evaluation sampling and data collection. Case studies illustrate different applications of impact evaluations. The book links to complementary instructional material available online, including an applied case as well as questions and answers. The updated second edition will be a valuable resource for the international development community, universities, and policy makers looking to build better evidence around what works in development.

Evaluating and Valuing in Social Research

Evaluating and Valuing in Social Research PDF Author: Thomas A. Schwandt
Publisher: Guilford Publications
ISBN: 146254732X
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 274

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Book Description
Much applied research takes place as if complex social problems--and evaluations of interventions to address them--can be dealt with in a purely technical way. In contrast, this groundbreaking book offers an alternative approach that incorporates sustained, systematic reflection about researchers' values, what values research promotes, how decisions about what to value are made and by whom, and how judging the value of social interventions takes place. The authors offer practical and conceptual guidance to help researchers engage meaningfully with value conflicts and refine their capacity to engage in deliberative argumentation. Pedagogical features include a detailed evaluation case, "Bridge to Practice" exercises and annotated resources in most chapters, and an end-of-book glossary.

Evaluating Social Programs

Evaluating Social Programs PDF Author: Peter Henry Rossi
Publisher: Academic Press
ISBN:
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 352

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Book Description


Monitoring and Evaluating Social Programs in Developing Countries

Monitoring and Evaluating Social Programs in Developing Countries PDF Author: Joseph J. Valadez
Publisher: World Bank Publications
ISBN:
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 564

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Book Description
Project sustainability has received considerable attention in recent years. The increased awareness stems from a growing concern with social development issues such as poverty reduction, project sustainability, the equal participation of women, and the social costs of economic development. This handbook provides a comprehensive guide to the wide range of techniques available for monitoring and evaluating the main kinds of social development programs. The authors highlight or review a number of topics that have been overlooked in earlier evaluation publications, such as: -The organization of monitoring and evaluation at the project, sectoral, and national levels -The management of the databases required to elect, design, and implement new social projects and programs -The monitoring and evaluation of project sustainability -Simple and cost-effective methods of estimating project impact. The authors also discuss methods for identifying potential beneficiaries and their information needs and ways of managing evaluations.

Handbook of Program Evaluation for Social Work and Health Professionals

Handbook of Program Evaluation for Social Work and Health Professionals PDF Author: Michael J. Smith
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0195158431
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 399

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Book Description
Evaluation is crucial for determining the effectiveness of social programs and interventions. In this nuts and bolts handbook, social work and health care professionals are shown how evaluations should be done, taking the intimidation and guesswork out of this essential task. Current perspectives in social work and health practice, such as the strengths perspective, consumer empowerment, empowerment evaluation, and evidence-based practice, are linked to evaluation concepts throughout the book to emphasize their importance.This book makes evaluation come alive with comprehensive examples of each different type of evaluation, such as a strengths-based needs assessment in a local community, a needs assessment for Child Health Plus programs, comprehensive program descriptions of HIV services and community services for the aged, a model for goals and objectives in programs for people with mental illness, a monitoring study of private practice social work, and process evaluations of a Medicare advocacy program and a health advocacy program to explain advance directives. Equal emphasis is given to both quantitative and qualitative data analysis with real examples that make statistics and concepts in qualitative analysis un-intimidating.By integrating both evaluation and research methods and assuming no previous knowledge of research, this book makes an excellent reference for professionals working in social work and health settings who are now being called upon to conduct or supervise program evaluation and may need a refresher on research methods. With a pragmatic approach that includes survey design, data collection methods, sampling, analysis, and report writing, it is also an excellent text or classroom resource for students new to the field of program evaluation.

Evaluating Welfare Reform in an Era of Transition

Evaluating Welfare Reform in an Era of Transition PDF Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309171342
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 267

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Book Description
Reform of welfare is one of the nation's most contentious issues, with debate often driven more by politics than by facts and careful analysis. Evaluating Welfare Reform in an Era of Transition identifies the key policy questions for measuring whether our changing social welfare programs are working, reviews the available studies and research, and recommends the most effective ways to answer those questions. This book discusses the development of welfare policy, including the landmark 1996 federal law that devolved most of the responsibility for welfare policies and their implementation to the states. A thorough analysis of the available research leads to the identification of gaps in what is currently known about the effects of welfare reform. Evaluating Welfare Reform in an Era of Transition specifies what-and why-we need to know about the response of individual states to the federal overhaul of welfare and the effects of the many changes in the nation's welfare laws, policies, and practices. With a clear approach to a variety of issues, Evaluating Welfare Reform in an Era of Transition will be important to policy makers, welfare administrators, researchers, journalists, and advocates on all sides of the issue.

Program Evaluation for Social Workers

Program Evaluation for Social Workers PDF Author: Richard M. Grinnell
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
ISBN: 0190227303
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 553

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Book Description
First published in 1994, this text is designed to be used by graduate-level social work students in courses on evaluation and program design. Over the course of 20 years and 6 editions, the goals of the book have remained the same: to prepare students to participate in evaluative activities within their organizations; to prepare students to become critical producers and consumers of professional evaluative literature; and to prepare students for more advanced evaluation courses and texts. Grinnell, Gabor, and Unrau aim to meet these objectives by presenting a unique approach that is realistic, practical, applied, and user-friendly. While a majority of textbooks focus on program-level evaluation, some recent books present case-level evaluation methods but rely on inferentially powerful -- but difficult-to-implement -- experimental baseline designs. This text assumes that neither of these approaches adequately reflects the realities of the field or the needs of students and beginning practitioners. Instead, Program Evaluation for Social Workers offers a blend of the two that demonstrates how they can complement one another. The integration of case-level and program-level approaches provides an accessible, adaptable, and realistic framework for students to more easily grasp and implement in the real-world.

Program Evaluation in Social Research

Program Evaluation in Social Research PDF Author: Jonathan A. Morell
Publisher: Elsevier
ISBN: 148313718X
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 213

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Book Description
Program Evaluation in Social Research presents a plan for developing evaluation into a form of applied social research that is methodologically sound, relevant to the problems of society, and built on a technological (as opposed to a scientific) model. Evaluation as applied, relevant social research and as social technology is described, along with its validity and usefulness. This book is comprised of eight chapters and opens with a discussion on the consequences of program evaluation for the conduct of social research and for society at large, and how evaluation can be made into a method of generating practical and powerful suggestions for planning successful social programs. The concept of "outcome evaluation" is also organized into meaningful categories which can be used for the intelligent planning of appropriate evaluation activities. The following chapters consider the types of evaluation that are carried out, the relative merits of each type, and how to optimize the validity and utility of each type. Evaluation as a technological, rather than a scientific, pursuit is also discussed. The remaining chapters focus on the frictions that arise during the implementation of program evaluation; program evaluation as a profession; and how evaluation can be developed into a relevant and powerful method of guiding the course of social innovations. This monograph will appeal to sociologists, social scientists, and social researchers.

Evaluating Social Programs and Problems

Evaluating Social Programs and Problems PDF Author: Stewart Ian Donaldson
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 9780805841848
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 219

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Book Description
Today's evaluators are being challenged to help design and evaluate social programs intended to prevent and ameliorate complex social problems in a variety of settings, including schools, communities, and not-for-profit and for-profit organizations. Drawing upon the knowledge and experience of world-renowned evaluators, the goal of this new book is to provide the most up-to-date theorizing about how to practice evaluation in the new millennium. It features specific examples of evaluations of social programs and problems, including the strengths and weaknesses of the most popular and promising evaluation approaches, to help readers determine when particular methods are likely to be most effective. As such, it is the most comprehensive volume available on modern theories of evaluation practice. Evaluating Social Programs and Problems presents diverse, cutting-edge perspectives articulated by prominent evaluators and evaluation theorists on topics including, but not limited to: *Michael Scriven on evaluation as a trans-discipline; *Joseph S. Wholey on results-oriented management; *David Fetterman on empowerment evaluation; *Yvonna S. Lincoln on fourth-generation evaluation; *Donna M. Mertens on inclusive evaluation; *Stewart I. Donaldson on theory-driven evaluation; and *Melvin M. Mark on an integrated view of diverse visions for evaluation. Evaluating Social Programs and Problems is a valuable resource and should be considered required reading for practicing evaluators, evaluators-in-training, scholars and teachers of evaluation and research methods, and other professionals interested in improving social problem-solving efforts in the new millennium.