Handbook of Practical Program Evaluation: (19 Essential Texts for Nonprofit and Public Leadership and Management)

Praise for the third edition of the Handbook of Practical Program Evaluation "Mix three of the most highly regarded evaluators with a team of talented contributors, and you end up with an exceedingly practical and useful handbook that belongs on the reference shelf of every evaluator as well as program and policy officials." —Jonathan D. Breul, executive director, IBM Center for The Business of Government "Joe Wholey and his colleagues have done it again—a remarkably comprehensive, thoughtful, and interesting guide to the evaluation process and its context that should be useful to sponsors, users, and practitioners alike." —Eleanor Chelimsky, former U.S. Assistant Comptroller General for Program Evaluation and Methodology "Students and practitioners of public policy and administration are fortunate that the leading scholars on evaluation have updated their outstanding book. This third edition of the Handbook of Practical Program Evaluation will prove once again to be an invaluable resource in the classroom and on the front lines for a public service under increasing pressure to do more with less."—Paul L. Posner, director, public administration, George Mason University, and immediate former president, the American Society of Public Administration "The third edition of the Handbook of Practical Program Evaluation reflects the evolving nature of the field, while maintaining its value as a guide to the foundational skills needed for evaluation." —Leslie J. Cooksy, current president, the American Evaluation Association "This third edition is even more of a must-have book than its earlier incarnations—for academics to give their students a comprehensive overview of the field, for practitioners to use as a reference to the best minds on each topic, and for evaluation funders and consumers to learn what is possible and what they should expect. I've been in evaluation for 35 years, and I used the first and second editions all the time."—Michael Hendricks, Ph.D., independent evaluation consultant

Table of Contents:
Figures, Tables, and Exhibits xi Preface xv The Editors xxiii The Contributors xxvii Part One: Evaluation Planning and Design 1 1 Planning and Designing Useful Evaluations 5 Kathryn E. Newcomer, Harry P. Hatry, Joseph S. Wholey 2 Analyzing and Engaging Stakeholders 30 John M. Bryson, Michael Q. Patton 3. Using Logic Models 55 John A. McLaughlin, Gretchen B. Jordan 4. Exploratory Evaluation 81 Joseph S. Wholey 5. Performance Measurement: Monitoring Program Outcomes 100 Theodore H. Poister 6. Comparison Group Designs 125 Gary T. Henry 7. Randomized Controlled Trials and Nonrandomized Designs 144 Carole J. Torgerson, David J. Torgerson, Celia A. Taylor 8. Conducting Case Studies 163 Karin Martinson, Carolyn O’Brien 9. Recruitment and Retention of Study Participants 182 Scott C Cook, Shara Godiwalla, Keeshawna S. Brooks, Christopher V. Powers, Priya John 10. Designing, Managing, and Analyzing Multisite Evaluations 208 Debra J. Rog Part Two: Practical Data Collection Procedures 237 11. Using Agency Records 243 Harry P. Hatry 12. Using Surveys 262 Kathryn E. Newcomer, Timothy Triplett 13. Using Trained Observer Ratings 298 Barbara J. Cohn Berman, Julie Brenman, Verna Vasquez 14. Collecting Data in the Field 321 Demetra Smith Nightingale, Shelli B. Rossman 15. Using the Internet 347 William C. Adams 16. Conducting Semi-Structured Interviews 365 William C. Adams 17. Focus Group Interviewing 378 Richard A. Krueger, Mary Anne Casey 18. Using Stories in Evaluation 404 Richard A. Krueger Part Three: Data Analysis 425 19. Qualitative Data Analysis 429 Patricia J. Rogers, Delwyn Goodrick 20. Using Statistics in Evaluation 454 Kathryn E. Newcomer, Dylan Conger 21. Cost-Effectiveness and Cost-Benefit Analysis 493 Stephanie Riegg Cellini, James Edwin Kee 22. Meta-Analyses, Systematic Reviews, and Evaluation Syntheses 531 Robert F. Boruch, Anthony Petrosino Part Four: Use of Evaluation 555 23. Pitfalls in Evaluations 557 Harry P. Hatry, Kathryn E. Newcomer 24. Providing Recommendations, Suggestions, and Options for Improvement 581 George F. Grob 25. Writing for Impact 594 George F. Grob 26. Contracting for Evaluation Products and Services 620 James B. Bell 27. Use of Evaluation in Government: The Politics of Evaluation 651 Joseph S. Wholey 28. Evaluation Challenges, Issues, and Trends 668 Harry P. Hatry, Joseph S. Wholey, Kathryn E. Newcomer Name Index 681 Subject Index 685

About the Author :
Joseph S. Wholey is professor emeritus at the School of Policy, Planning, and Development at the University of Southern California. Harry P. Hatry is director of the Public Management Program at the Urban Institute, where he also previously served as director of the State-Local Government Research Program. Kathryn E. Newcomer is director of the Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration at The George Washington University. Joseph S. Wholey is professor emeritus at the School of Policy, Planning, and Development at the University of Southern California. Harry P. Hatry is director of the Public Management Program at the Urban Institute, where he also previously served as director of the State-Local Government Research Program. Kathryn E. Newcomer is director of the Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration at The George Washington University.