Chapter 12 Evaluation Research

Chapter Outline Topics Appropriate To Evaluation Research Formulating the Problem Types of Evaluation Research Designs The Social Context Social Indicators Research

Evaluation Research Appropriate for any study of planned or actual social intervention. Goal is to determine whether a social intervention has produced the intended result. Results are not always well received.

Types of Measurement in Evaluation Research Outcome (response variable) Experimental Context - aspects of the context of an experiment that might affect the experiment. Experimental Stimulus (interventions) Population - demographic variables as well as variables defining the population.

Evaluation Research Designs Experimental designs Quasi-experimental designs Time-series design Nonequivalent control groups Multiple Time-Series designs Qualitative evaluations

Ethical Issues Social interventions being evaluated may raise ethical issues. Evaluation research may be a mask for unethical behavior.

Why Results Are Ignored Implications may not be presented in a way that nonresearchers can understand. Results sometimes contradict deeply held beliefs. Vested interest in a program.

Social Indicators Research Provides an understanding of broader social processes. Researchers are developing more refined indicators. Research is being devoted to discovering the relationships among variables within whole societies.