Reference Library: Topics

Evaluation

Basic Guide to Program Evaluation, by Carter McNamara for The Management Assistance Program for Nonprofits.  Covers the basics of evaluation, including: "Basic Ingredients", "Planning Program Evaluation", "Overview of Methods to Collect Information", "Analyzing and Interpreting Information", and "Reporting Evaluation Results."
http://www.mapnp.org/library/evaluatn/fnl_eval.htm

Basics of Developing Questionnaires, by Carter McNamara for The Management Assistance Program for Nonprofits.  Provides a brief overview of key considerations when developing a questionnaire as part of your evaluation.  Topics covered include: questions you need to answer before developing your questionnaire; directions to respondents; content of the questions; wording of the questions; and order of the questions.  Also provides links to other resources. 
http://www.mapnp.org/library/evaluatn/questnrs.htm

Evaluation Documents on Program Development and Evaluation, by University of Wisconsin Extension.  Download a variety of publications (in PDF format) written with Extension faculty in mind, but useful for agencies and organizations seeking to develop realistic evaluation strategies.  Titles include:  "Planning a Program Evaluation", "Questionnaire Design: Asking Questions with a Purpose", "Sampling", "Collecting Evaluation Data", and "Evaluating Collaboratives: Reaching the Potential."
http://www.uwex.edu/ces/pdande/evaluation/index.html

Evaluation Primer: An Overview of Education Evaluation, by the U. S. Department of Education.  Describes the evaluation process from an educational perspective.  Also explains different types of evaluations, steps in planning evaluations, how to measure behavioral outcomes, and ensuring your evaluation yields valid and reliable findings.
http://www.ed.gov/offices/OUS/PES/primer1.html

Evaluating Extension Program Outcomes, by Richard L. Poling, University of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service.  Though written with Extension Personnel in mind, this overview of program evaluation will be helpful to any organization conducting educational programming aimed at changing behaviors.  Explains how to ask the "right people" for the "right information" in the "right way".  Describes a variety of data collection methods (surveys, interviews, observations, and case studies).  Includes an evaluation worksheet.  This document can be downloaded in PDF format.  Go to:
http://web.utk.edu/~aee/accountability.htm and click on "Evaluating Extension Program Outcomes.
* You may also wish to review "Example Extension Program Evaluation Tools" (see reference in this library module).

Example Extension Evaluation Tools, by Richard L. Poling, University of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service.  Dr. Poling offers examples of instruments and scales for collecting data in the evaluation of Extension education programs.  These instruments have great utility for non-Extension watershed education programs as well.  Provides examples for measuring reactions, knowledge change, attitude/opinion change, skill change, aspirations, practice (behavior) change, and end results (social, economic, and environmental conditions).  This document can be downloaded in PDF format.  Go to:
http://web.utk.edu/~aee/accountability.htm and click on "Example Extension Evaluation Tools". 
* You may also want to review "Evaluating Extension Program Outcomes" also reviewed in this Library Module (see above)

References

Recommended! Ohio State University Extension. Water Quality Project Evaluation: A Handbook for Objectives-Based Evaluation of Water Quality Projects.  An Ohio State University Extension Bulletin (No. 868).  This bulletin takes you step by step through the process of developing an evaluation plan for your water quality project.
http://www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~ohioline/b868/pdf/b868.pdf

Patton, M. Q. (1990). Qualitative Evaluation and Research Methods. (2^nd Ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Saland, P. and D. A. Dillman. (1994). How to Conduct Your Own Survey.  New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.