Describes the use of multilevel models (MLMs) for studies in which individuals are randomized by groups to treatment condition. Uses data from the Safer Choices study, an evaluation of a theory-based multi-component program to prevent sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy, to illustrate the application of MLMs for both continuous and…

The Citizens Changing Communities program trained advisory boards in time and meeting management, conflict management, problem solving, goal setting, action planning, and decision making. Although evaluations revealed high interest in program content and delivery methods, actual participation did not match responses. A holistic approach focused on…

Describes and critiques medical school rankings by "U.S. News & World Report" on methodologic and conceptual grounds, arguing that the annual evaluation falls short in both areas. Presents three alternative categories of program quality indicators. Concludes that the rankings have no practical value and fail to meet standards of…

Discusses the development of evaluation's collective capacity and offers an analysis of ways members of the evaluation community can work to build collective strength. These include better efforts to educate evaluation clients. (SLD)

Provides an overview of evaluation checklists and describes 10 checklists for program, personnel, and product evaluations that were developed to be available to evaluators through the World Wide Web. (SLD)

Describes the Mississippi family and consumer sciences curriculum that is aligned with the national standards and linked to technology-based classrooms. Discusses preliminary evaluation in 36 schools, indicating some anecdotal evidence of positive impacts. (SK)

The seven chapters of this volume demonstrate that evaluation evidence can overturn widely held beliefs and result in changes in programs and policies. These chapters show that policymakers can welcome findings that challenge long-established ideas and use them to Improve programs and services. (SLD)

This article describes how job analysis, a method commonly used in personnel research and organizational psychology, provides a systematic method for documenting program staffing and service delivery that can improve evaluators' knowledge about program operations. Job analysis data can be used to increase evaluators' insight into how staffs…

The past few years have seen efforts in several countries and a wide range of disciplines to adopt and apply existing professional standards for guiding and judging evaluation services and/or develop new standards. Some of the efforts have drawn from the work and products of the North American Joint Committee on Standards for Educational…

In the UK, following the Crime and Disorder Act of 1998, the Youth Justice Board (YJB) funded over 450 separate crime prevention schemes. The YJB in approving these various schemes stressed the importance of monitoring and evaluation. Local evaluators were appointed whose role was to report back to the funding agency and the national evaluators.…

This article provides a critical review of the quality of 12 recent large federal program evaluations. The review focused on elements of the evaluation design, inclusion of evaluation expertise among those who have oversight of the evaluation, and evaluation dissemination. Overall, the process analyses from these evaluations provide good models…

Evaluation has become an everyday activity for many us, whether of our practice in the classroom, the student experience, institutional performance or funded projects. This article looks at the main aspects of evaluation and adopts a systematic approach to evaluation by looking at why, what, for and by whom, when and how to evaluate. The emphasis…

This article addresses the construction of "critical friendships" within the practice of one particular program evaluation. It focuses on the evolution of relationships developed during one 2-year program evaluation study that examined a collaborative educational project. Findings show that a caring interest and mentoring rapport developed between…

Evaluation can be a complicated, time-consuming process. It is no wonder so many organizations resist doing it. In this article, the author outlines the steps in the evaluation process and presents sample questions in each step. The author also defines and exemplifies the components for a successful evaluation strategy.

Fidelity may be defined as the extent to which delivery of an intervention adheres to the protocol or program model originally developed. Fidelity measurement has increasing significance for evaluation, treatment effectiveness research, and service administration. Yet few published studies using fidelity criteria provide details on the…