How to Focus an Evaluation

Reflecting the tremendous explosion of interest in this vital area of the evaluation process, this volume recognizes that deciding what to evaluate is a complex negotiation process that involves the methodological predisposition of the evaluator and the client, client needs, the nature of the program, and the constraints surrounding the evaluation.

How to Focus an Evaluation details five models that characterize different methodological approaches: experimental, goal-oriented, decision-focused, user oriented, and responsive approaches. The text provides valuable advice on how and what type of information to collect from a client; how to clarify and prioritize evaluation concerns; and how to formulate a plan that matches evaluation concerns with appropriate data collection procedures within given cost constraints.

Changes in the initial stages of the evaluation process over the last decade are reflected in How to Focus an Evaluation. A new book in the series, this volume replaces the first edition′s How to Deal with Goals and Objectives.

The volume recognizes that deciding what to evaluate is a complex negotiation process that involves the methodological predisposition of the evaluator and the client, client needs, the nature of the program and the constraints surrounding the evaluation. It outlines five models that characterize different methodological approaches and considers how each may contribute to the focusing process. The text provides advice on how and what type of information to collect from clients, how to clarify and prioritize evaluation concerns, and how to formulate a plan matching evaluation concerns with data collection procedures within cost constraints.