Download or read book Realist Evaluation An Emerging Theory in Support of Practice written by Gary T. Henry and published by Jossey-Bass. This book was released on 1998-06-29 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Why is another theory of evaluation needed? The paradigm wars have left a void in their wake. A new theory, firmly grounded in a credible philosophy of science, is needed to guide practice. The aim of this volume is to provide a new theory that captures the sensemaking contributions from post-positivism and the sensitivity to values from constructivist traditions. The theory presented here is not a slap-dash synthesis of the competing paradigms--it is a new approach. Some of the contributions of the realist theory of evaluation are (1) providing a basis for principled discovery as we oscillate between explanations and data; (2) using explanation as a means for extrapolating findings from one evaluation to other settings; (3) viewing all methods, both quantitative and qualitative, as aids to sensemaking that have strengths and flaws; (4) connecting evaluation practice with the ultimate goal of most program evaluation--social betterment; and (5) balancing the focus of the evaluation between sensemaking and value inquiry. This is the 78th issue of the quarterly journal New Directions for Evaluation.

Download or read book Realistic Evaluation written by Ray Pawson and published by SAGE. This book was released on 1997-06-23 with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Table of Contents

Download or read book Evaluation Theory Models and Applications written by Daniel L. Stufflebeam and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2014-09-26 with total page 800 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The golden standard evaluation reference text Now in its second edition, Evaluation Theory, Models, and Applications is the vital text on evaluation models, perfect for classroom use as a textbook, and as a professional evaluation reference. The book begins with an overview of the evaluation field and program evaluation standards, and proceeds to cover the most widely used evaluation approaches. With new evaluation designs and the inclusion of the latest literature from the field, this Second Edition is an essential update for professionals and students who want to stay current. Understanding and choosing evaluation approaches is critical to many professions, and Evaluation Theory, Models, and Applications, Second Edition is the benchmark evaluation guide. Authors Daniel L. Stufflebeam and Chris L. S. Coryn, widely considered experts in the evaluation field, introduce and describe 23 program evaluation approaches, including, new to this edition, transformative evaluation, participatory evaluation, consumer feedback, and meta-analysis. Evaluation Theory, Models, and Applications, Second Edition facilitates the process of planning, conducting, and assessing program evaluations. The highlighted evaluation approaches include: Experimental and quasi-experimental design evaluations Daniel L. Stufflebeam's CIPP Model Michael Scriven's Consumer-Oriented Evaluation Michael Patton's Utilization-Focused Evaluation Robert Stake's Responsive/Stakeholder-Centered Evaluation Case Study Evaluation Key readings listed at the end of each chapter direct readers to the most important references for each topic. Learning objectives, review questions, student exercises, and instructor support materials complete the collection of tools. Choosing from evaluation approaches can be an overwhelming process, but Evaluation Theory, Models, and Applications, Second Edition updates the core evaluation concepts with the latest research, making this complex field accessible in just one book.

Download or read book Doing Realist Research written by Nick Emmel and published by SAGE. This book was released on 2018-06-18 with total page 273 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Bringing together leading theorists, researchers and policy makers with expertise in using realist methods, this book is a definitive guide to putting realist methodologies into practice. Not just an overview of the field, this book looks to extend current debates and apply realist methods to new and practical challenges in social research. Featuring practical, worked examples of how to turn theory into evidence, it empowers readers not just to understand realist methods, but to use them. It will help readers: - Negotiate the complexity of relational systems - Understand the importance and relevance of cumulative theory - Address concerns over data sources and quality - Be flexible and creative in realist approaches - Produce useful evidence for policy. Sophisticated and globally minded, this book is the perfect addition to the ongoing development and application of realist methods across evaluation, synthesis, and social research.

Download or read book The Science of Evaluation written by Ray Pawson and published by SAGE. This book was released on 2013-02-01 with total page 244 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Evaluation researchers are tasked with providing the evidence to guide programme building and to assess its outcomes. As such, they labour under the highest expectations - bringing independence and objectivity to policy making. They face huge challenges, given the complexity of modern interventions and the politicised backdrop to all of their investigations. They have responded with a huge portfolio of research techniques and, through their professional associations, have set up schemes to establish standards for evaluative inquiry and to accredit evaluation practitioners. A big question remains. Has this monumental effort produced a progressive, cumulative and authoritative body of knowledge that we might think of as evaluation science? This is the question addressed by Ray Pawson in this sequel to Realistic Evaluation and Evidence-based Policy. In answer, he provides a detailed blueprint for an evaluation science based on realist principles.

Download or read book Realistic Evaluation written by Ray Pawson and published by SAGE. This book was released on 1997-04-23 with total page 419 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Realistic Evaluation shows how program evaluation needs to be, and can be bettered. It presents a profound yet highly readable critique of current evaluation practice, and goes on to introduce a `manifesto′ and `handbook′ for a fresh approach. The main body of this book is devoted to the articulation of a new evaluation paradigm, which promises greater validity and utility from the findings of evaluation studies. The authors call this new approach `realistic evaluation′. The name reflects the paradigm′s foundation in scientific realist philosophy, its commitment to the idea that programmes deal with real problems rather than mere social constructions, and its primary intention, which is to inform realistic developments in policy making that benefit programme participants and the public. Ray Pawson and Nicholas Tilley argue with passion that scientific evaluation requires a careful blend of theory and method, quality and quantity, ambition and realism. The book offers a complete blueprint for evaluation activities, running from design to data collection and analysis to the cumulation of findings across programmes and onto the realization of research into policy. The argument is developed using practical examples throughout and is grounded in the major fields of programme evaluation. This book will be essential reading for all those involved in the evaluation process especially those researchers, students and practitioners in the core disciplines of sociology, social policy, criminology, health and education. `This book is a must for those engaged in the field, providing a fully illustrated text on evaluation with numerous examples from the criminal justice system. Unusually, it offers something for the academic, practitioner and student alike. I found Pawson and Tilley′s latest work on evaluation an enjoyable and informative read. For myself their "realistic evaluation" clarified and formalised a jumbled set of ideas I had already been developing. Although not everyone will agree with the methodology proposed by the authors, this book is a valuable read as it will cause most of us at least to review our methodological stance′ - International Journal of Police Science and Management `This is an engaging book with a strong sense of voice and communicative task. The voice is sometimes strident, but always clear. Its communicative qualities are evident equally in its structure: lots of signposting for the reader within and across chapters′ - Language Teaching Research `This provocative, elegant and highly insightful book focuses on the effective incorporation of actual practice into the formulation of evaluation methodology. What a pleasure to read sentences like: "The research act involves "learning" a stakeholder′s theories, formalizing them, and "teaching" them back to that informant who is then in a position to comment upon, clarify and further refine the key ideas". Pawson and Tilley have given us a wise, witty and persuasive account of how real practitioner experience might be encouraged to intrude on (and modify) researchers′ concepts about program processes and outcomes. This holds important promise for achieving something that is devoutly to be wished: closer interaction among at least some researchers and some policy makers′ - Eleanor Chelimsky, Past-President of the American Evaluation Association `This is a sustained methodological argument by two wordly-wise social scientists. Unashamedly intellectual, theoretically ambitious yet with a clear but bounded conception of evaluation. It is articulate, occasionally eloquent and always iconoclastic, whilst eschewing "paradigm wars". The Pawson and Tilley "realist" call to arms threatens to take no prisoners among experimentalists, constructivists or pluralists. It is the kind of book that clarifies your thoughts, even when you disagree with everything they say′ - Elliot Stern, The Tavistock Institute

Download or read book Doing Realist Research written by Nick Emmel and published by SAGE. This book was released on 2018-06-18 with total page 293 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Bringing together leading theorists, researchers and policy makers with expertise in using realist methods, this book is a definitive guide to putting realist methodologies into practice. Not just an overview of the field, this book looks to extend current debates and apply realist methods to new and practical challenges in social research. Featuring practical, worked examples of how to turn theory into evidence, it empowers readers not just to understand realist methods, but to use them. It will help readers: - Negotiate the complexity of relational systems - Understand the importance and relevance of cumulative theory - Address concerns over data sources and quality - Be flexible and creative in realist approaches - Produce useful evidence for policy. Sophisticated and globally minded, this book is the perfect addition to the ongoing development and application of realist methods across evaluation, synthesis, and social research.

Download or read book Encyclopedia of Evaluation written by Sandra Mathison and published by SAGE. This book was released on 2005 with total page 526 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The 'Encyclopedia of Evaluation' recognises the growth of evaluation around the world & highlights all the major contributions to the field. There are over 400 entries organised alphabetically.

Download or read book SAGE Handbook of Mixed Methods in Social Behavioral Research written by Abbas Tashakkori and published by SAGE Publications. This book was released on 2021-06-17 with total page 913 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Surveying the differing viewpoints and disciplinary approaches to using mixed methods, this volume helps readers explore the answers to a wide range of key questions in the field, including "Can using mixed methods offset the disadvantages that certain methods have by themselves?" "What criteria can a researcher use to select the best mixed methods design for his or her project?" and "What are the points of agreement and controversy regarding design issues in mixed methods research?" This breakthrough Second Edition, containing all new chapters, examines all aspects of mixed methods research across a variety of disciplines. Key Features • Covers all aspects of inquiry from conceptualizing research to selecting methods, analyzing and interpreting data, and reporting findings • Draws on the work of a mix of internationally recognized researchers as well as new and emerging researchers to provide a diversity of perspectives • Gives specific examples from a wide range of disciplines to help readers understand the issues and controversies in this evolving area • Presents rich material for discussion and new ideas for implementing mixed methods research to provide readers with a cutting-edge resource • Provides pedagogical tools such as learning objectives, discussion questions and exercises, and extensive cross referencing

Download or read book A Realist Approach for Qualitative Research written by Joseph A. Maxwell and published by SAGE. This book was released on 2012 with total page 241 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Are cultural and material phenomena equally real? How can one study the relationships between cultural constructions, social behavior and material conditions and draw a valid conclusion from the data? In contrast to interpretive or constructivist positions, realism supports the insights of critical theory in social and educational research regarding the relationships between actors' perspectives and their actual situations, while avoiding the epistemological objectivism associated with positivism and some forms of post- positivist empiricism. This book will explain how readers can use realism to conceptualize and conduct their qualitative study to get results with greater validity.

Download or read book Mixed Methods Research for Improved Scientific Study written by Baran, Mette L. and published by IGI Global. This book was released on 2016-03-17 with total page 362 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The clear division between quantitative and qualitative research methods becomes problematic when students begin conducting extensive research for the first time, often as part of a master’s thesis or dissertation. In order to handle such complexities in the selection of research methods, a Mixed Methods Research (MMR) approach is one proposed solution. Mixed Methods Research for Improved Scientific Study seeks to demonstrate how mixed methods research designs can address a wide array of scientific questions across disciplines. Focusing on essential concepts and methods for a hybrid approach to quantitative and qualitative research methods for real-world implementation, this publication is ideally designed for students and researchers interested in refining their research skills as well as educators seeking to integrate research methods coursework into the graduate curriculum.

Download or read book Real World Research written by Colin Robson and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2024-05-28 with total page 708 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: REAL WORLD RESEARCH Provides students and practitioner alike with clear and systematic guidance on performing social research in applied settings Real World Research supplies the multidisciplinary skills necessary to conduct social research projects inside and outside of the classroom or the workplace. Offering well-balanced coverage of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods, this highly practical resource incorporates approaches from different social science disciplines to help readers find answers to real-life research questions in healthcare, education, business and management, and in many other public and private settings. Detailed yet accessible chapters include step-by-step advice for developing a research question, choosing a research design strategy, collecting and analyzing the data, interpreting and reporting the results, and more. The fifth edition contains timely coverage of contemporary methodologies, key ethical issues, and ongoing debates within the field of social research. New and expanded sections address topics such as evidence‐based approaches to social research, ethical considerations when conducting research involving people, carrying out projects based solely on existing research, and the importance and implications of internet-based research. Featuring a wealth of up-to-date examples drawn from a wide range of disciplines, this classic textbook: Focuses on useful real-world research in applied settings such as homes, schools, businesses, and other workplaces Provides a concise overview and a well-defined example of each main step of the research process Highlights the importance of collaboration, cooperation, and active participation in social research Explains flexible research designs using largely qualitative methods, including additional coverage of ethnographic and grounded theory approaches Includes an extensive companion website with numerous research examples, links to journal articles, PowerPoint slides, and many other additional resources Real World Research, Fifth Edition, remains essential reading for those tasked with developing, performing, and reporting the findings of a research project, including students, academics and educators, social scientists, health practitioners, and professionals in a diverse range of fields.

Download or read book Encyclopedia of Evaluation written by Sandra Mathison and published by SAGE Publications. This book was released on 2004-10-21 with total page 945 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: All humans are nascent evaluators. Evaluation has been with us throughout history, and in its modern form has moved from the margins to the centers of organizations, agencies, educational institutions, and corporate boardrooms. No longer a specialized, part-time activity, evaluation has become institutionalized, a common practice, and indeed an important commodity in political and social life. The Encyclopedia of Evaluation is an authoritative, first-of-its-kind who, what, where, why, and how of the field of evaluation. Covering professional practice as well as academia, this volume chronicles the development of the field—its history, key figures, theories, approaches, and goals. From the leading publisher in the field of evaluation, this work is a must-have for all social science libraries, departments that offer courses in evaluation, and students and professional evaluators around the world. The entries in this Encyclopedia capture the essence of evaluation as a practice (methods, techniques, roles, people), as a profession (professional obligations, shared knowledge, ethical imperatives, events, places) and as a discipline (theories and models of evaluation, ontological and epistemological issues). International Scope Despite the fact that evaluation practice is not institutionalized in the same way around the world, the encyclopedia recognizes the international growth of the profession, due in large part to organizations such as UNICEF, the World Bank, and USAID. Entries cover the following: Afghanistan, Belgium, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Germany, Greece, Guyana, Israel, Netherlands, Niger, Scotland, South Africa, Spain, and Uganda. In addition, the international group of authors includes contributions from more than a dozen nations. There are a number of stories about evaluation practice around the world that are set off as sidebars in the text. These stories provide a glimpse into the nature of evaluation practice in a diverse set of circumstances, delineate the common and uncommon issues for evaluators around the world, and point to the complexities of importing evaluation from one culture to another. Interdisciplinary Methodological Coverage Much of the practice of evaluation has grown out of the social science research tradition. While psychological methods and psychometrics continue to be useful, evaluation research today draws from a wide range of disciplines, including anthropology, education, political science, literary criticism, systems theory, and others. This Encyclopedia covers all of the relevant methodologies, including both qualitative and quantitative approaches. Evaluators and Theories The Encyclopedia of Evaluation includes significant coverage of the major figures in the field throughout its history. Many of these figures are well known for a particular theory or approach, and whenever applicable, the entries make this connection for the reader as well as provide references for further reading. Good examples include Michael Quinn Patton and Utilization-Focused Evaluation, David Fetterman and Empowerment Evaluation, Daniel Stufflebeam′s CIPP Model of Evaluation, and Huey Chen and Theory-driven Evaluations. Key Themes • Concepts, Evaluation • Concepts, Methodological • Concepts, Philosophical • Concepts, Social Science • Ethics and Standards • Evaluation Approaches and Models • Evaluation around the World, Stories • Evaluation Planning • Evaluation Theory • Laws and Legislation • Organizations • People • Publications • Qualitative Methods • Quantitative Methods • Representation, Reporting, Communicating • Systems • Technology • Utilization Key Features • More than 100 contributors from around the world • Single, affordable volume with nearly 600 entries arranged alphabetically • Entries written by an international team of experts, including narratives that depict evaluation practice around the world • Reader′s Guide arranges entries into 18 thematic categories to facilitate browsing among core topics Editorial Board Ross Connor, University of California, Irvine Lois-Ellin Datta, Consultant Melissa Freeman, University at Albany Rodney Hopson, Duquesne University Saville Kushner, University of the West of England, U.K. Yvonna S. Lincoln, Texas A&M University Cheryl MacNeil, Community Activist and Evaluation Consultant Donna M. Mertens, Gallaudet University, Washington DC James Mugaju, UNICEF Zenda Ofir, EvalNet Michael Quinn Patton, Union Institute and University Hallie Preskill, University of New Mexico Debra Rog, Vanderbilt University Patricia Rogers, Evaluation Practitioner, Researcher, and Educator Thomas A. Schwandt, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign Michael Scriven, Auckland University, New Zealand Elizabeth Whitmore, Carleton University, Canada

Download or read book Evaluation in the Face of Uncertainty written by Jonathan A. Morell and published by Guilford Press. This book was released on 2011-06-10 with total page 321 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Unexpected events during an evaluation all too often send evaluators into crisis mode. This insightful book provides a systematic framework for diagnosing, anticipating, accommodating, and reining in costs of evaluation surprises. The result is evaluation that is better from a methodological point of view, and more responsive to stakeholders. Jonathan A. Morell identifies the types of surprises that arise at different stages of a program's life cycle and that may affect different aspects of the evaluation, from stakeholder relationships to data quality, methodology, funding, deadlines, information use, and program outcomes. His analysis draws on 18 concise cases from well-known researchers in a variety of evaluation settings. Morell offers guidelines for responding effectively to surprises and for determining the risks and benefits of potential solutions.

Download or read book Handbook of Research Methods in Public Administration Second Edition written by Gerald J. Miller and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 1998-10-15 with total page 680 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This comprehensive handbook covers a wide variety of quantitative methods used for research in public administration, public policy, and nonprofit management, including theory-building and testing, increasing the readers awareness and command of analytical tools critical to the resolution of complex problems. Providing bibliographic citations and over 370 tables, equations, and drawings, the book compares the function of quantitative techniques in past and present public administration literature and practices, furnishes information for visualizing, planning, and implementing research projects, and explores potential applications of quantitative public administration.

Download or read book Evidence Based Policy written by Ray Pawson and published by SAGE. This book was released on 2006-04-07 with total page 415 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this important new book, Ray Pawson examines the recent spread of evidence-based policy making across the Western world. Few major public initiatives are mounted these days in the absence of a sustained attempt to evaluate them. Programmes are tried, tried and tried again and researched, researched and researched again. And yet it is often difficult to know which interventions, and which inquiries, will withstand the test of time. The evident solution, going by the name of evidence-based policy, is to take the longer view. Rather than relying on one-off studies, it is wiser to look to the ′weight of evidence′. Accordingly, it is now widely agreed the most useful data to support policy decisions will be culled from systematic reviews of all the existing research in particular policy domains. This is the consensual starting point for Ray Pawson′s latest foray into the world of evaluative research. But this is social science after all and harmony prevails only in the first chapter. Thereafter, Pawson presents a devastating critique of the dominant approach to systematic review - namely the ′meta-analytic′ approach as sponsored by the Cochrane and Campbell collaborations. In its place is commended an approach that he terms ′realist synthesis′. On this vision, the real purpose of systematic review is better to understand programme theory, so that policies can be properly targeted and developed to counter an ever-changing landscape of social problems. The book will be essential reading for all those who loved (or loathed) the arguments developed in Realistic Evaluation (Sage, 1997). It offers a complete blueprint for research synthesis, supported by detailed illustrations and worked examples from across the policy waterfront. It will be of especial interest to policy-makers, practitioners, researchers and students working in health, education, employment, social care, criminal justice, regeneration and welfare.

Download or read book Handbook of Emergent Methods written by Sharlene Nagy Hesse-Biber and published by Guilford Publications. This book was released on 2013-10-15 with total page 754 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Social researchers increasingly find themselves looking beyond conventional methods to address complex research questions. This is the first book to comprehensively examine emergent qualitative and quantitative theories and methods across the social and behavioral sciences. Providing scholars and students with a way to retool their research choices, the volume presents cutting-edge approaches to data collection, analysis, and representation. Leading researchers describe alternative uses of traditional quantitative and qualitative tools; innovative hybrid or mixed methods; and new techniques facilitated by technological advances. Consistently formatted chapters explore the strengths and limitations of each method for studying different types of research questions and offer practical, in-depth examples.