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Evaluability Assessment
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Evaluability Assessment
Improving Evaluation Quality and Use



August 2014 | 200 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc

Evaluability assessment (EA) can lead to development of sound program theory, increased stakeholder involvement and empowerment, better understanding of program culture and context, enhanced collaboration and communication, process and findings use, and organizational learning and evaluation capacity building. This book provides an up-to-date treatment of EA, clarifies what it actually is and how it can be used, demonstrates EA as an approach to evaluative inquiry with multidisciplinary and global appeal, and identifies and describes the purposes and benefits to using EA. Using case examples contributed by EA practitioners, the text illustrates important features of EA use, and showcases how EA is used in a variety of disciplines and evaluation contexts. This text is appropriate as an instructional text for graduate level evaluation courses and training, and as a resource for evaluation practitioners, policymakers, funding agencies, and professional training.


 
PREFACE
 
1. The Evaluability Assessment Story
 
2. Evaluability Assessment and Program Evaluation
 
3. Introducing Our Evaluability Assessment Model
 
4. Focusing the Evaluability Assessment
 
5. Developing an Initial Program Theory
 
6. Gathering Feedback on Program Theory
 
7. Using the Evaluability Assessment
 
8. Additional Considerations

The most impressive aspect of this book is that it positions EA as an approach that perfectly fits within the current philosophical views on program evaluation…. The authors do a great job connecting these theories to practice, and provide good guidelines.

Sebastian Galindo-Gonzalez
University of Florida

This book is focused on one very important topic in the scope of program evaluation content.  It establishes the foundation for a variety of applications: impact assessment, program development, and formative evaluation. This text provides new insights and methods for conducting evaluability assessment.

S. Kim MacGregor
Louisiana State University

The book is written in a very readable style, is well organized and referenced. I like the inclusion of case studies, guidelines for actually doing EA, and the extensive discussion of its alignment with other models of evaluation process.

Iris Smith
Emory University

One of the strengths of the book is that it provides a much needed new take on EA... Trevisan and Walser do a credible job in describing the resurgence of EA in recent years and its purposes beyond being simply an evaluator's first step before embarking on an evaluation.

Sandra Sellick, Ed.D.
Canadian Journal of Program Evaluation

Students feel comfortable with the book.

Professor Glorimar Caraballo
Graduate School of Public Health, University of Puerto Rico
April 23, 2015

This book is the most complete and up-to-date reference manual on Evaluability Assessment. It is well written, easy to use as a methodological tool for students (and evaluators) and full of case examples.

Dr Marc Johnson
Education Faculty, Ottawa University-Ottawa
September 19, 2014
Key features

KEY FEATURES:

 

  • The authors’ four-component EA model situates the essential elements of EA within the context of current EA and evaluation theory and practice, providing a clear framework for understanding and implementing EA.
  • Historical conceptions of EA are integrated with current EA and evaluation theory and practice, highlighting the evolution, resurgence, and expanded uses of EA globally.
  • Each core chapter includes an advanced organizer of Program Evaluation Standards, which are then discussed as they apply throughout the chapter.
  • Practical checklists guide implementation of each component of the EA model.
  • Brief case examples contributed by EA evaluators illustrate important features of EA and how they are applied in practice in a wide range of disciplines and settings.
  • Coverage of the vibrant EA activity across a variety of disciplines around the world demonstrates the multidisciplinary appeal and globalization of EA.
  • A final chapter includes topics often encountered by EA evaluators but not previously addressed in the EA literature, such as whether to accompany EA with other evaluation strategies, modifying the EA, and more—all with a focus on ensuring quality.

Sample Materials & Chapters

Chapter 1

Chapter 3


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