Author: J. Bradley Cousins
Publisher: Jossey-Bass
ISBN:
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 132
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Book Description
Conceptions of use are grounded within a common conception that useand influence can be traced to evaluation findings or to theknowledge outputs of evaluative activities. Yet a qualitativelydifferent type of use and impact began to emerge from evaluationpractice and research on it. This other sort of consequence --process use -- appeared to be attributable to something whollyindependent of evaluation findings, specifically, the activities orprocesses of evaluation as opposed to its products or outputs. Thisvolume is a multifacted exploration of process use; it includesmethodological, empirical, and conceptual inquiries as well as richnarrative forays into the domain of evaluation practice. Such acomprehensive approach serves to deepen understanding of processuse as being pivotal in contemporary theory on evaluationconsequences. This is the 116th volume of the Jossey-Bass quarterly reportseries New Directions for Evaluation, a publication ofJossey-Bass and the American Evaluation Association. The journalpublishes empirical, methodological, and theoretical works on allaspects of evaluation.
Author: Karen Bogenschneider
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 100037890X
Category : Family & Relationships
Languages : en
Pages : 464
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Book Description
New thinking is needed on the age-old conundrum of how to connect research and policymaking. Why does a disconnect exist between the research community, which is producing thousands of studies relevant to public policy, and the policy community, which is making thousands of decisions that would benefit from research evidence? The second edition updates community dissonance theory and provides an even stronger, more substantiated story of why research is underutilized in policymaking, and what it will take to connect researchers and policymakers. This book offers a fresh look into what policymakers and the policy process are like, as told by policymakers themselves and the researchers who study and work with them. New to the second edition: • The point of view of policymakers is infused throughout this book based on a remarkable new study of 225 state legislators with an extraordinarily high response rate in this hard-to-access population. • A new theory holds promise for guiding the study and practice of evidence-based policy by building on how policymakers say research contributes to policymaking. • A new chapter features pioneering researchers who have effectively influenced public policy by engaging policymakers in ways rewarding to both. • A new chapter proposes how an engaged university could provide culturally competent training to create a new type of scholar and scholarship. This review of state-of-the-art research on evidence-based policy is a benefit to readers who find it hard to keep abreast of a field that spans the disciplines of business, economics, education, family sciences, health services, political science, psychology, public administration, social work, sociology, and so forth. For those who study evidence-based policy, the book provides the basics of producing policy relevant research by introducing researchers to policymakers and the policy process. Strategies are provided for identifying research questions that are relevant to the societal problems that confront and confound policymakers. Researchers will have at their fingertips a breath-taking overview of classic and cutting-edge studies on the multi-disciplinary field of evidence-based policy. For instructors, the book is written in a language and style that students find engaging. A topic that many students find mundane becomes germane when they read stories of what policymakers are like, and when they learn of researcher’s tribulations and triumphs as they work to build evidence-based policy. To point students to the most important ideas, the key concepts are highlighted in text boxes. For those who desire to engage policymakers, a new chapter summarizes the breakthroughs of several researchers who have been successful at driving policy change. The book provides 12 innovative best practices drawn from the science and practice of engaging policymakers, including insights from some of the best and brightest researchers and science communicators. The book also takes on the daunting task of evaluating the effectiveness of efforts to engage policymakers around research. A theory of change identifies seven key elements that are fundamental to increasing policymaker’s use of research along with evaluation protocols and preliminary evidence on each element.
Author: W. Newton Suter
Publisher: SAGE
ISBN: 1412995736
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 529
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Book Description
W. Newton Suter argues that what is important in a changing education landscape is the ability to think clearly about research methods, reason through complex problems and evaluate published research. He explains how to evaluate data and establish its relevance.
Author: Donna M. Mertens
Publisher: Guilford Press
ISBN: 1462503241
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 642
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Book Description
This engaging text takes an evenhanded approach to major theoretical paradigms in evaluation and builds a bridge from them to evaluation practice. Featuring helpful checklists, procedural steps, provocative questions that invite readers to explore their own theoretical assumptions, and practical exercises, the book provides concrete guidance for conducting large- and small-scale evaluations. Numerous sample studies—many with reflective commentary from the evaluators—reveal the process through which an evaluator incorporates a paradigm into an actual research project. The book shows how theory informs methodological choices (the specifics of planning, implementing, and using evaluations). It offers balanced coverage of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods approaches. Useful pedagogical features include: *Examples of large- and small-scale evaluations from multiple disciplines. *Beginning-of-chapter reflection questions that set the stage for the material covered. *"Extending your thinking" questions and practical activities that help readers apply particular theoretical paradigms in their own evaluation projects. *Relevant Web links, including pathways to more details about sampling, data collection, and analysis. *Boxes offering a closer look at key evaluation concepts and additional studies. *Checklists for readers to determine if they have followed recommended practice. *A companion website with resources for further learning.
Author: Anol Bhattacherjee
Publisher: CreateSpace
ISBN: 9781475146127
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 156
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Book Description
This book is designed to introduce doctoral and graduate students to the process of conducting scientific research in the social sciences, business, education, public health, and related disciplines. It is a one-stop, comprehensive, and compact source for foundational concepts in behavioral research, and can serve as a stand-alone text or as a supplement to research readings in any doctoral seminar or research methods class. This book is currently used as a research text at universities on six continents and will shortly be available in nine different languages.
Author: Richard Baskerville
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 0387355057
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 521
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Book Description
The articles in this book constitute the proceedings papers from the IFIP WG 8.2 Working Conference, "IS2000: The Social and Organizational Perspective on Research and Practice in Information Technology," held June 1 0-12, 2000, in Aalborg, Denmark. The focus of the conference, and therefore this book, is on the basic aim of the working group, namely, the investigation of the interrelationships among four major components: information systems (IS), information technology (IT), organizations, and society. This basic social and organizational perspective on research and practice in information technology may have evolved substantially since the founding ofthe group, for example, increasing the emphasis on IS development. The plan for the conference was partially rooted in the early WG 8.2 traditions, in which working conferences were substantially composed of invited papers. For IS2000, roughly half of the paper presentations were planned to be invited; the remaining half were planned to be double-blind refereed in response to a "Call For Papers." Invited papers were single-blind reviewed in order to provide the authors with pre-publication feedback and comments, along with the opportunity to revise their papers prior to its final incorporation in this book.
Author: Philip Brownell
Publisher: Cambridge Scholars Publishing
ISBN: 1527532674
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 459
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Book Description
This is a true second edition, so much so that it approaches being a different book. It includes among its new authors some of the most sought-after theorists in contemporary gestalt therapy. There is a section on the philosophy of science, research and research methodology, and one devoted to gestalt therapy and its teaching and research in diverse parts of the world. There is disagreement and critique, for this is not a simple book. It is so packed with information that it serves as both a challenge and a resource. This second edition of the Handbook will take its place as an aid in understanding the evolution of contemporary gestalt therapy and as a guide to the evolving research tradition in gestalt therapy. It rightfully belongs on the shelves of both beginning trainees in gestalt therapy and advanced and experienced practitioners, and certainly represents a resource for practitioner-researchers involved in practice-based research.
Author: Douglas Woodwell
Publisher: SAGE Publications
ISBN: 1483334058
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 224
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Book Description
Designing research can be daunting and disorienting for novices. After experiencing this first-hand, the author has written a book that shows how to mentally frame research in a way that is understandable and approachable while also discussing some of the more specific issues that will aid the reader in understanding the options available when pursuing their research. Stressing the link between research and theory-building, this concise book shows students how new knowledge is discovered through the process of research. The author presents a model that ties together research processes across the various traditions and shows how different types of research interrelate. The book is sophisticated in its presentation, but uses plain language to provide an explanation of higher-level concepts in an engaging manner. Throughout the book, the author treats research methodologies as a blueprint for answering a wide range of interesting questions, rather than simply a set of tools to be applied. The book is an excellent guide for students who will be consumers of research and who need to understand how theory and research interrelate. "The author did an excellent job on this text. This text is the missing link in explaining research methodologies. His comparison/contrasts are excellent. Moreover, the author provides interesting alternatives and discusses how each alternative might improve the validity of research." —James Anthos, South University, Columbia "...With only six chapters, the text can be covered in a short time allowing for students to spend the majority of their time investigating social issues and developing research. Students who read and understand this book will have the knowledge and resources to cover material they are unfamiliar with." —R. David Frantzreb II, University of North Carolina - Charlotte "I am looking for something just like this that is not overbearing for the student but will complement the supplementary material and resources that I am using with my students. I think the coverage is broad enough that I could use it with all of my groups." —Karen Larwin, Youngstown State University "...I think the author’s emphasis on demonstrating the relationship between theory and research is terribly important and understated in so many other texts. I also think that in the hands of competent professors, it can be supplemented with other sources to help students learn while not being encumbered financially with an expensive tome for which they may only use a fraction of it." —John R. Mitrano, Central Connecticut State University
Author: Derek Layder
Publisher: SAGE
ISBN: 1526422387
Category : Reference
Languages : en
Pages : 201
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Book Description
With its unique modelling and mapping of social processes, Investigative Research offers an alternative approach to social research. This book guides you through the theoretical grounding and rules you need to effectively combine the evidence-based explanations of social behaviour and distinctive strategies of data collection associated with investigative research. It helps you answer key investigative questions like: How are models and maps of social reality crucial to the formulation of research problems and questions? What are the main phases, challenges, and theories of investigative research? How does investigative research compare with other research approaches, like surveys, case studies, grounded theory, and mixed methods? How can you control the quality and validity of your investigative research? With its clear focus on investigative research exploration, description, and explanation, this book gives you the solid building blocks needed to manage and integrate the theoretical and practical issues in your work.
Author: Karen Glanz
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Health behavior
Languages : en
Pages : 52
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Book Description
