Completing Your Evaluation Dissertation, Thesis, or Culminating Project

This practical, user-friendly resource helps students successfully complete an evaluation capstone: a dissertation, thesis, or culminating project where a student conducts an evaluation as their capstone experience. Authors Tamara M. Walser and Michael S. Trevisan present a framework to support students and faculty in maximizing student development of evaluator competencies, addressing standards of the evaluation profession, and contributing to programs and disciplinary knowledge. Their framework, and this book, is organized by six fundamentals of evaluation practice: quality; stakeholders; understanding the program; values; approaches; and maximizing evaluation use. Throughout the book they use the metaphor of the journey to depict the processes and activities a student will experience as they navigate an evaluation capstone and the six fundamentals of evaluation practice. In pursuit of a completed capstone, students grow professionally and personally, and will be in a different place when they reach the destination and the capstone journey is complete.

Table of Contents:
Preface Acknowledgments About the Authors PART 1: Essentials for Your Journey Chapter 1 • The Evaluation Capstone Guiding Questions Chapter Overview What Is Evaluation? What Is an Evaluation Capstone? Chapter Summary Chapter 2 • Working Productively With Your Committee Guiding Questions Chapter Overview The Evaluation Capstone as a Process and a Product Nontechnical Skills in Evaluation Education and Practice Important Nontechnical Skills for Evaluation Capstones Choosing a Capstone Chair and Committee Members Communicating With Your Capstone Chair and Committee Chapter Summary PART 2: Navigating the Six Fundamentals of Evaluation Practice Chapter 3 • Quality: Addressing Professional Evaluation Standards and Guidelines Guiding Questions Chapter Overview What Are the Program Evaluation Standards? Culturally Responsive Evaluation Practice Evaluator Competencies Other Guidance for Evaluation Practice Meta-Evaluation of Your Evaluation Capstone Chapter Summary Chapter 4 • Stakeholders: Working With an Evaluation Client and Other Program Stakeholders Guiding Questions Chapter Overview Who Are Program Stakeholders? Developing a Stakeholder Engagement Plan and Log Elements of Effective Stakeholder Interactions Chapter Summary Chapter 5 • Understanding: Developing Understanding of a Program Guiding Questions Chapter Overview Why Does the Program Exist? What Is the Program, and How Is It Intended to Work? In What Context Does the Program Operate? Conducting a Review of the Literature for Your Evaluation Capstone Chapter Summary Chapter 6 • Values: Engaging Values Through Evaluation Purpose, Questions, and Criteria Guiding Questions Chapter Overview Engaging Values Evaluation Purpose Statement Evaluation Questions Evaluation Criteria Remaining Flexible Chapter Summary Chapter 7 • Approaches: Applying Evaluation Approaches Guiding Questions Chapter Overview Evaluation Theories, Models, and Approaches Taxonomies of Evaluation Approaches Choosing an Evaluation Approach The Relationship Between Evaluation Approach and Design Developing the Evaluation Design A Note About Validity and Trustworthiness for Evaluation Chapter Summary Chapter 8 • Use: Maximizing Evaluation Use Guiding Questions Chapter Overview Laying the Groundwork for Evaluation Use Additional Ideas About Increasing Evaluation Use Types of Evaluation Use Developing Evaluation Findings and Recommendations Developing an Evaluation Communication Plan Evaluation Capstone Reporting Formats Chapter Summary References Index