Program Evaluation (11-12 pages)

 

1. Cover page: Identify the title and yourself
2. Abstract (Maximum of 200 words in this format: Program specification, design & methods, expected results, and implications for practice and policy)
3. Evaluation Program Specification
   1. Identify and select a program within the agency for evaluation (Note: If you are no longer in placement, identify and select a program that you would like to evaluate in the future)
   2. List the goals and objectives of the program
   3. Specify the client and or system conditions that the program attempts to address
   4. Design a logic model for the evaluation program that includes (refer to the United Way manual)
      1. Inputs/resources/limitations
      2. Activities you will undertake to address the problem
      3. Outputs you will produce/implement
      4. Immediate or Short-term and long-term outcomes with a rationale for why these outcomes are expected to occur
4. Literature Review
   1. Conduct and summarize a selective and critical review of the empirical literature on the problem/program (Refer to Chapter 14)
   2. Attach a list of references used for writing this review
5. Research Design
   1. Identify the specific research design you will use to address the question(s). What specific design (e.g., survey research, pre, quasi, or true experimental design, interview) will you use to evaluate the program (refer to chapter 9)
   2. Address the strengths and limitations of your design in answering the research question(s). How are you able to address threats to internal validity (e.g., selection, maturation, dropout, etc) using your design?

6. Sampling Selection (* Not random assignment)

1. What sampling method will you use? (refer to chapter 8)
2. What inclusive criteria will you use for selecting participants?
3. How will you recruit, contact, and retain participants?
4. How will you protect the rights of participants, such as ethical issues of informed consent content, voluntary participation, protection of sensitive data, etc?

7. Measurement (* consistent with outcomes*)

1. Discuss the conceptualization and operationalization of your measures for the program.
2. Identify instruments/measures that you might use in evaluating the program (Refer to chapters 11 & 12)
3. Discuss the population/sample upon whom the instrument was developed and standardized, including statistical information and documentation on the reliability and validity of the instrument. (Refer to chapters 11& 12)
4. If you cannot find an established instrument/measure in the literature and decide to construct your own, you are required to provide sample items and state how you will address reliability and validity issues

8. Analysis Plan

1. This analysis plan should be linked to the evaluation research questions, goals, and objectives (= outcomes) of the program as well as linked to the evaluation design including measurement.
2. Students are expected to describe the appropriate statistical techniques for analyzing data on sample descriptive measures and outcomes measures.
3. Students may also summarize their analysis plan in table format by describing all measures and their level of measurement in addition to specifying the appropriate statistical techniques. (Refer to United Way manual)

9. Expected Results (*probable simulated data)

1. Tables & Figures for visual significance
2. Brief description of results along with statistical significance tests  (e.g., paired sample t-tests to compare means/standard deviation of pretest and post test scores) 
3. Narrative statements/quotations collected from interview with open-ended questions. 

 10. Discussion

1. integration of results and prior literature
2. limitations, strengths, & ethical issues,
3. implications for policy, practice, and future evaluation research

11. References (Include a minimum of 10 empirical articles)

1. Appendices:
   1. The logic model
   2. Informed consent form
   3. Any instruments with measures
   4. Result tables & graphs