Conducting Needs Assessments

by Soriano, Fernando I.

• ISBN13: 9780803952119
• ISBN10: 0803952112
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1995-03-01
• Publisher: Sage Pubns

Summary

Published in cooperation with the University of Michigan School of Social Work Prompted by his interaction with those benefiting from needs assessment, Fernando I. Soriano created this easy-to-read yet technically sophisticated volume to guide the reader from the planning and developing stages of needs assessment to evaluating and reporting findings. In addition to the accessible discussion of methods and statistical analyses, each engaging chapter offers creative examples and problem-solving exercises drawn from a wide range of public and private human and health services agencies. Responding to the needs of our increasingly diverse communities, Soriano also provides a chapter on special considerations in working with cultural, gender, income, educational, and regional differences. A final chapter offers guidance on effective report writing that will help to enhance the presentation and usefulness of findings. Making available a broad range of information and procedures essential for undertaking effective needs assessments, this volume is especially useful for community-based organizations, human resource and training specialists, marketing representatives, researchers, and students.

Table of Contents

Preface	xi
Introduction	xiii
Planning a Needs Assessment	1	(14)
Program Evaluation Versus Needs Assessments	1	(3)
Limitations of Needs Assessments	2	(2)
Simplicity and Complexity	4	(1)
The Purpose of a Needs Assessment	5	(4)
Key Questions	7	(2)
Resource Availability	9	(1)
Application of Findings	10	(1)
Exercises	10	(5)
Examples of Needs Assessments	10	(1)
Examples of Program Evaluations	11	(1)
Examples of Projects That Are Both Needs Assessments and Program Evaluations	12	(3)
Assessment Methods	15	(20)
Deciding Which Needs Assessment Method to Use	16	(1)
Use of Secondary Data Sources	16	(3)
Interview Methods	19	(3)
Key Informant Method	22	(1)
Focus Groups	23	(5)
Exercises	28	(7)
Survey Methods and Sample Size Requirements	35	(15)
Data Collection Methods	36	(1)
Sample Selection Methods	37	(1)
Simple Random Method	38	(1)
Convenience Sampling Methods	39	(2)
Sample Size Requirements	41	(5)
Exercise	46	(4)
Sampling Methods and Sample Sizes	46	(4)
Instrument Development	50	(14)
Qualitative Versus Quantitative Instruments	50	(3)
Item Development	53	(7)
Pretesting	60	(1)
Conclusion	61	(2)
Exercises	63	(1)
Collecting Data From Participants	64	(9)
Approaching Participants	64	(2)
Finding Participants	66	(1)
Incentives to Participate	66	(1)
Meeting With Respondents: Procedures	67	(4)
Exercises	71	(2)
Data Preparation and Statistical Analyses	73	(11)
Data Preparation	73	(4)
Cleaning the Data	73	(2)
Coding Responses	75	(2)
Statistical Analyses	77	(5)
Conclusion	82	(1)
Exercises	82	(2)
Reporting the Findings	84	(9)
Who Needs the Information?	85	(6)
Executive Summary	86	(1)
Introduction Section	87	(1)
Method Section (Procedures)	88	(1)
Results Section	89	(1)
Discussion Section	90	(1)
Conclusion and Recommendation Sections	90	(1)
References and Appendices	91	(1)
Exercises	91	(2)
Social and Cultural Considerations	93	(10)
First Step: Know the Target Population	94	(7)
Language	94	(1)
Written Language	94	(3)
Oral Language	97	(1)
Cultural Sensitivity	98	(2)
Social Factors	100	(1)
Exercises	101	(2)
Conclusion	103	(2)
Appendix: Needs Assessment Guide	105	(14)
References	119	(2)
About the Author	121