Handbook of Practical Program Evaluation

"The book is designed to enable students of public policy, policymakers and mangers to obtain useful information and conduct successful systematic evaluations, even under tight resource constraints. This text presents a wide variety of approaches to evaluation through brief, authoritative articles by top academics and practitioners. Thoroughly revised and updated this third edition is filled with the most current information, up-to-date examples, and puts increased emphasis on practical applicability. The third edition also features a new and up-dated instructor's manual"-- Provided by publisher.

Designing & using process evaluation/outcome monitoring/use of ratings by trained observers/use of focus groups/etc.

The second edition of Handbook of Practical Program Evaluation offers managers, analysts, consultants, and educators in government, nonprofit, and private institutions a valuable resource that outlines efficient and economical methods for assessing program results and identifying ways to improve program performance.

 The Handbook has been thoroughly revised.  Many new chapters have been prepared for this edition, including chapters on logic modeling and on evaluation applications for small nonprofit organizations.

The Handbook of Practical Program Evaluation is a comprehensive resource on evaluation, covering both in-depth program evaluations and performance monitoring.  It presents evaluation methods that will be useful at all levels of government and in nonprofit organizations.

 This important book covers:

• A variety of evaluation designs, including designs for ongoing monitoring of program results and designs for in-depth evaluation of program performance 

• Selection of data collection procedures that help evaluators obtain relevant information in an efficient manner

• Methods for analyzing evaluation data

• Steps for increasing the usefulness and actual use of evaluation results by policymakers, managers, their staff members, and other stakeholders in order to improve programs and inform policy decisionmaking

• Selection and training of evaluators, quality control of the enterprise, standards and ethics in evaluation work, the creation of incentives for undertaking program evaluation, and future trends in program evaluation

 Praise for the First Edition

 "I am better in my job because I read the Handbook of Practical Program Evaluation, and without question, the analysts I supervise would benefit from reading this handbook." —John A. Mahone, Virginia Department of Planning and Budget

Booknews

A comprehensive handbook for managers, administrators, and educators in government, nonprofit, and private institutions. Experts in the field of program evaluation outline methods of assessing program results and identifying ways to improve program performance. The authors explain how to create an evaluation design and how to collect and analyze data in a way that will result in low-cost and successful evaluations. Among the approaches to program evaluation explored are process evaluations, continuous monitoring of program performance, and ad hoc studies of past and present programs. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Joseph S. Wholey is a professor of public administration at the University of Southern California.

Harry P. Hatry is a principal research associate and director of the Public Management Program at the Urban Institute in Washington, D.C.

Kathryn E. Newcomer is director of the School of Public Policy and Public Administration at the George Washington University.