RealWorld Evaluation Working Under Budget, Time, Data, and Political Constraints

Name: RealWorld Evaluation Working Under Budget, Time, Data, and Political Constraints
Price: 8.91 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9781412909464

ISBN-10: 1412909465

ISBN-13: 9781412909464

Edition: 2006

Authors: Linda Mabry, Michael Bamberger, Jim Rugh

List price: $63.00

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"" "I was quite impressed with how this book balanced the technical aspects with practical advice for managing budget, time and political constraints. The use of case study examples and checklists/worksheets helped to make the book much more ???grounded in practice??? compared to other texts. I like to think of myself as an experienced, well-read evaluator, but I must confess that I learned quite a lot from this book!"???Scott Bayley, Victorian Auditor-General's Office, Australia"[The authors] have really broken new ground by providing the guidance on how to apply the theory to reality. I plan to recommend this book highly, and [the authors have] have given me some great ideas on how to… improve our evaluation capacity building efforts (and that??'s after reading just a few chapters!). Thanks for developing the RealWorld Evaluation approach to its full potential as a new way of thinking about and practicing evaluation."???Paula Bilinsky, AED Senior Evaluation Analyst "The breadth and depth of the authors??? experiences in international and national settings is apparent on every page." ???Donna M. Mertens, Gallaudet University?????Each page of this book contains nugget after nugget of useful, pragmatic, and practical advice.????????Kent Glenzer, Director, Impact Measurement and Learning Team, CARE USARealWorld Evaluation: Working Under Budget, Time, Data, and Political Constraints is the only textbook that provides specific guidance on how to conduct evaluations when working under resource and/or data constraints. Authors Michael Bamberger, Jim Rugh, and Linda Mabry illustrate options for addressing each constraint through practical examples from both developed and developing countriesto show how adapting to different types of exigencies can lead to successful evaluations. Key Features: Provides practical guidance: Specific and well documented case studies are provided for addressing budget, time, and data constraints, and for dealing with political pressures. Guidelines are offered for protecting the validity of conclusions when measures must be taken to save costs and time. Uses a mixed-methods approach: Adapting a range of methods to real-world situations, this text draws on quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods approaches. Design, methods, cultural sensitivity, validity, credibility, and reporting are among the many topics addressed. In addition, triangulation is encouraged for increasing the validity of findings. Incorporates a unique seven-step model: A systematic step-by-step approach that is logical and easy to follow is presented. Frameworks and checklists are provided for assessing the strengths and weaknesses of an evaluation and providing strategies to overcome the weaknesses and improve the design and validity. Intended Audience: Perfect supplementary text for any advanced undergraduate or graduate introductory program evaluation course across disciplines including Education, Public Administration, Management, Social Work, Public Health, and Nursing; in addition it will also appeal to researchers in government agencies, NGOs, evaluation consultants, and other evaluation practitioners.Visit the authors' Web site at http: //www.realworldevaluation.org/

Book details

List price: $63.00
Copyright year: 2006
Publisher: SAGE Publications, Incorporated
Publication date: 2/13/2006
Binding: Paperback
Pages: 504
Size: 7.00" wide x 10.00" long x 1.00" tall
Weight: 1.892
Language: English

Jim Rugh has had 41 years of professional involvement in rural community development in Africa, Asia and Appalachia. He has specialized in evaluation for 25 years; the past 10 years as head of Design, Monitoring and Evaluation for CARE International, a large NGO. His particular skills include promoting strategies for enhanced capacity for evaluation throughout this world-wide organization. He is a recognized leader in evaluation among colleagues in the international NGO community, including InterAction. He has been an active member of the American Evaluation Association since 1986, currently serving on the Nominations and Election Committee. He…



Introduction



Overview: Realworld Evaluation



RealWorld Evaluation and the Contexts in Which It Is Used


Welcome to RealWorld Evaluation


The RealWorld Evaluation Context


The Four Types of Constraints Addressed by the RealWorld Approach


The RealWorld Evaluation Approach to Evaluation Challenges


Comparing the RealWorld Evaluation Context and Issues in Developing and Developed Countries


Who Uses RealWorld Evaluation, for What Purposes, and When?


Summary


Further Reading



The Seven Steps Of The Realworld Evaluation Approach



First clarify the purpose: Scoping the evaluation


Stakeholder expectations of impact evaluations


Understanding information needs


Developing the program theory model


Identifying the constraints to be addressed by the RWE and determining the appropriate evaluation design


Developing the Terms of Reference for the Evaluation


Summary


Further reading



Not enough money: Addressing budget constraints


Simplifying the evaluation design


Clarifying client information needs


Using existing data


Reducing costs by reducing sample size


Reducing costs of data collection and analysis


Common threats to validity of budget constraints


Summary


Further reading



Not enough time: Addressing scheduling and other time constraints


Similarities and differences between time and budget constraints


Simplifying the evaluation design


Clarifying client information needs


Using existing documentary data


Reducing sample size


Rapid data collection methods


Reducing time pressures on outside consultants


Hiring more resource people


Building outcome indicators into project records


Data collection and analysis technology


Common threats to adequacy and validity relating to time constraints


Summary


Further reading



Critical information is missing or difficult to collect: Addressing data constraints


Data issues facing RealWorld evaluators


Reconstructing baseline data


Special issues in reconstructing comparison groups


Collecting data on sensitive topics or from groups who are difficult to reach


Common threats to adequacy and validity relating to data constraints


Summary


Further reading



Reconciling different priorities and perspectives: Addressing political influences


Values, ethics, and politics


Political issues at the outset of an evaluation


Political issues during the conduct of an evaluation


Political issues in evaluation reporting and use


RealWorld strategies for addressing political constraints


Summary


Further reading



Strengthening the evaluation design and the validity of the conclusions


Validity in evaluation


Factors affecting adequacy and validity


Assessing the adequacy of quantitative evaluation designs


Strengthening validity in quantitative evaluations


Assessing the adequacy of qualitative evaluation designs


Strengthening validity in qualitative evaluations


Points during the RWE evaluation cycle when corrective measures can be taken


Summary


Further reading



Making it useful: Helping clients and other stakeholders utilize the evaluation


The underutilization of evaluations studies


The importance of the RealWorld evaluation scoping phase for utilization


Formative evaluation strategies


Communicating with clients throughout the evaluation


Evaluation capacity building


Communicating findings


Developing a follow-up action plan


Summary


Further reading



A Review Of Evaluation Methods And Approaches And Their Applications In Realworld Evaluation



Applications of program theory in RealWorld evaluation


Defining Program Theory Evaluation


Applications of Program Theory in evaluation


Constructing Program Theory Models


Logical framework analysis and results chains


Program theory evaluation and causality


Summary


Further reading



The Most Widely-Used RealWorld Quantitative Evaluation Designs


Randomized and quasi-experimental evaluation designs


The most widely used quantiative designs


Ways to strengthen quantitative RWE designs


Seven quasi-experimental designs that cover most RWE scenarios


Summary


Further reading



Quantitative evaluation methods


The quantitative and qualitative traditions in evaluation research


Quantitative methodologies


Applications of quantitative methodologies in program evaluation


Quantitative methods for data collection


The management of data collection for quantitative studies


Data analysis


Summary


Further reading



Qualitative evaluation methods


Qualitative methodology and tradition


Qualitative methodology: An overview


Different reasons for using different methodologies


Qualitative data collection


Qualitative data analysis


Summary


Further reading



Mixed-method evaluation


The mixed method approach


Mixed-method strategies


Implementing a mixed-method design


Summary


Further reading



Sampling for RealWorld Evaluation


The Importance Of Sampling For RWE


Purposive sampling


Probability (random) sampling


Using power analysis and effect size for estimating the appropriate sample size


Determining The Size Of The Sample


The Contribution of Meta-Analysis


Sampling Issues For Mixed-Method Evaluations


Sampling issues for RWE


Summary


Further reading



Pulling It All Together



Learning together: Building Capacity For RealWorld Evaluation


Defining evaluation capacity building


RealWorld evaluation capacity building


Designing and delivering evaluation capacity building


Summary


Further reading



Bringing it all together: Applying RealWorld evaluation approaches to each stage of the evaluation process


Scoping the evaluation


Choosing the best design from the available options


Determining appropriate methodologies


Ways to strengthen RWE designs


Staffing the evaluation economically


Collect data efficiently


Analyze the data efficiently


Report findings efficiently and effectively


Help clients use the findings well


Appendices


Glossary of terms


References