Readings Text: Riddick & Russell

– Ch1 stakeholders – p10

– Ch 2 an evaluation system– Proposal p25-36

– Ch 4 – Lit Review Coursepack

– GAO report Ch 1 & 2, pp 177-185– MSU Sports pp 256-260

Evaluation is a process

Evaluability assessment Evaluation research proposal Review of the proposal Conduct evaluation Report results Implementation of findings

Evaluability Assessment

Is a program ready to be evaluated?– Description of program– Goals and objectives– Organization ready? Identify decision-makers– Political and social factors– Model of how program works– Are resources to conduct an evaluation available?

What part of program will be evaluated?

Steps for Evaluability Study

Program description – review documents Identify targets, objectives, inputs, outputs Interview key personnel Scout program Develop program model Get agreement to proceed/cooperation

INPUTS Process Outputs

Labor, Time

Capital, $$$

Land/Facilities

Use measures

“Benefits to users”

$$$

Effects

Impacts

A Program Model

Evaluation criteria

Effort – qnty & qlty of inputs Performance- qnty & qlty of outputs Adequacy – meet needs? Efficiency – costs/benefits Process – how & why pgm works? Equity – who benefits, who pays?

Purposes of Proposal

Communicate with Client Demonstrate your grasp of problem Plan the study in advance, so others can

evaluate the study approach– will it work?– have you overlooked something?– will results be useful to client?– Can we afford it?

Proposal Format1. Problem Statement - define program to be evaluated/problem to be studied,

users & uses of results. Justify importance of the problem/study.

2. Objectives : Concise listing . In evaluation studies, the objectives usually focus on the key elements of program to be evaluated & the evaluation criteria. These are the study objectives NOT the program objectives.

3. Background/Literature Review - place for more extensive history/structure of program. Focus on aspects most relevant to proposed evaluation. Discuss previous studies or the relevant methods.

4. Methods - details on procedures for achieving objectives - data gathering and analysis, population, sampling, measures, etc. Who will do what to whom, when, where, how and why?

5. Attachments - budget, timeline, measurement instruments, etc.

NOTE: Most “programs” must be narrowed to specific components to be evaluated. Think of a “Program of studies” rather than a single evaluation study. The proposal should define this specific study & how it fits into a broader program of studies.

Sample Evaluation Objectives

1. Estimate benefits and costs of program

2. Estimate economic impacts of program on local community (social, environmental, fiscal).

3. Determine effects of program on target population.

4. Describe users and non-users of program

5. Assess community recreation needs, preferences

6. Determine market/financial feasibility of program

7. Evaluate adequacy or performance of program

Describe a sample or population

Identify/test relationships between variables in a population: statistical cause-effect

Quantify the relationship

Average income of MI Snowmobilers in 1998 is $45K

SB with higher incomes spend more moneyAfter safety program, SB’s have fewer accidents

SB spend per day = $25 + .4 * Income

Typical Research Objectives

Variables : any characteristic that varies across individuals in a population (i.e. takes on different values for different individuals).

Dependent variable is the one you are trying to predict or explain, usually the focus of your study

Independent variables are the ones that help explain the dependent variable.

In Program evaluation, the outcomes are generally the dependent variables and characteristics of program or target populations are independent. In a cause effect relationship, cause is independent & effect dependent.

Variable Terminology

MSU Sports Programs

What is program(s)? Inputs, outputs, processStakeholders Which piece to evaluateEvaluation criteriaMethods to use

Methods Choices Overall Approach/Design

– Qualitative or Quantitative– Primary or secondary data– Survey, experiment, case study, etc.

Who to study - population, sample– individuals, market segments, populations

What to study - concepts, measures– behavior, knowledge, attitudes

Cost vs Benefit of Study

Qualitative vs Quantitative Approaches

QualitativeFocus GroupIn-Depth InterviewCase StudyParticipant observationSecondary data analysis

QuantitativeSurveysExperimentsStructured observationSecondary data analysis

Qualitative vs Quantitative

Purpose

Perspective

Procedures

QuantitativeGen’l LawsTest HypothesesPredict behavior

Outsider-Objective

Structured formal measures probability samples statistical analysis

QualitativeUnique/Individual caseUnderstandingMeanings/Intentions

Insider-Subjective

Unstructured open ended measures judgement samples interpretation of data

Primary or Secondary Data

Secondary data are data that were collected for some purpose other than your study, e.g. government records, internal documents, previous surveys

Choice between Primary /Secondary Data– Costs (time, money, personnel)– Relevance, accuracy, adequacy of data

How ....WhereGathered

Household On-Site Laboratory

PersonalInterview

Surveys Surveys,Field Expmts

Focus Groups

Telephone/Computer

Surveys ComputerInterviews

ComputerInterviews

Self-Admin.Quest.

Surveys,Field Expmts

Experiments

Observation& Traces

NA ObservableCharacteristics

ObservableCharacteristics

SecondarySources

NA InternalRecords

NA

Research Designs/Data Collection Approaches

Survey vs ExperimentSurvey - measure things as they are,

snapshot of population at one point in time, generally refers to questionnaires

(telephone, self-administered, personal interview)

Experiment - manipulate at least one variable (treatment) to evaluate response, to study cause-effect relationships

(field and lab experiments)

General Guidelines on when to use different approaches

1. Describing a population - surveys2. Describing users/visitors - on-site

survey3. Describing non-users, potential users or

general population - household survey4. Describing observable characteristics of

visitors - on-site observation5. Measuring impacts, cause-effect

relationships - experiments

Guidelines (cont)

6. Anytime suitable secondary data exists - secondary data

7. Short, simple household studies - phone8. Captive audience or very interested

population - self-administered survey9. Testing new ideas - experimentation or

focus groups10. In-depth study - in-depth personal

interviews, focus groups, case studies