A framework of general evaluation criteria for ensuring the comprehensiveness of program reviews and appropriate and fair comparison of children's programs is outlined. It has two components: (1) descriptive; and (2) evaluative. The framework was developed by researchers at the General Accounting Office for evaluation of federal programs. (TJH)

Responses of 246 internal and external evaluators about reporting and communicating results show that most use traditional reporting formats, are only moderately satisfied with reporting efforts, recognize many constraints to reporting, and consider high stakeholder involvement essential to effective evaluation. (SLD)

Data about outpatient treatment unit follow-up evaluations drawn from selected evaluation items in the recent National Drug Abuse Treatment Survey are reported. Directors and supervisors of 670 units completed surveys describing the follow-up studies. The majority of programs collecting follow-up data used the information for program change. (SLD)

The readability/usefulness of a new format for the final report of the Tri-State Adoption Project--involving Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas in a television promotion effort--were evaluated. How busy decision makers (two federal, seven state, and 17 regional program officers) can be informed of evaluation research outcomes is illustrated. (TJH)

The use of the Nominal Group Technique to identify areas for formative evaluation is described. Group characteristics, pertinent group questions, and advantages of the method are outlined. The process depersonalizes results, puts individual concerns into perspective, and focuses on improving the program (not on blaming or evaluating personnel).…

Five focus group sessions involving 35 persons associated with Research for Better Schools had to initiate a needs assessment. Tapes and transcripts of the sessions were analyzed. Analyses support the value of the focus groups in providing input to the design of the needs assessment survey. (TJH)

Simultaneous evaluations of the existing Department of Veterans' Affairs pharmaceutical distribution system and an alternative "prime vendor" distribution concept in the private sector were conducted. This review of the methodology illustrates the problems and advantages in conducting large multisite evaluations simultaneously. (SLD)

Results of a survey of 564 Canadian and American evaluators and evaluation project descriptions provided by a subsample of 348 evaluators indicate that evaluators support a utilization-focused, stakeholder service orientation and think that maximizing evaluation use is a primary responsibility of evaluators. (SLD)

An exploratory study of adult learning resulting from locally initiated community group programs illustrates approaches to qualitative and, more particularly, naturalistic evaluation. The use of a proxy list and the blending of independently derived abstract and concrete initial category labels proved particularly useful in the categorization…

A survey of 25 doctoral evaluation training programs at 8 universities was conducted to assess their use of comprehensive examinations in evaluation. (TJH)

Directors of the largest and most active executive branch evaluation offices from 14 government agencies assessed the impacts of the first year of federal government "reinvention." Results suggest an erosion of government capacity to conduct evaluations that is expected to increase in the presidential election year. (SLD)

The benefits that accrued to 14 agriculturalists as they performed evaluators' roles on a team examining water quality demonstration projects were studied. Results suggest that collaboration between the agriculturalists and evaluators strengthened study recommendations and were personally and professionally rewarding to the participating…

Events that brought independent evaluators together to address common problems and issues in the area of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) education are described, focusing on development and accomplishments of the collaboration. The foundation stemmed from the funding agency's insistence that each program identify an evaluator. (SLD)

The present author's experiences teaching a graduate course on evaluation for those who train adults in various settings illustrate how principles of adult learning made the course practical. Outcomes from class experiences with an actual program evaluation are described for the students, evaluation client, and teacher. (SLD)