Evaluation and Social Research : Introducing Small-Scale Practice

by Irene Hall

• ISBN13: 9780333930946
• ISBN10: 0333930940
• Format: Trade Book
• Copyright: 2004-01-01
• Publisher: Palgrave MacMillan

Author Biography

David Hall is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Sociology, Social Policy and Social Work Studies, University of Liverpool. Irene Hall is Senior Lecturer in the Deanery of Science and Social Science at Liverpool Hope University College.

Table of Contents

List of Tables	p. xi
List of Figures	p. xii
Preface and Acknowledgements	p. xiii
Introduction	p. 1
What is this book about?	p. 1
Where does this book fit in the growing literature on evaluation?	p. 3
How is the book structured?	p. 4
Evaluation and research	p. 5
What is social research?	p. 5
What is evaluation?	p. 6
Introducing the model of small-scale evaluation	p. 7
Defining 'small-scale': restriction or strength?	p. 8
Principles of small-scale evaluation	p. 9
Partnering	p. 9
Evaluator's role	p. 9
Evaluation for development	p. 9
Evaluation for use	p. 10
Ethics	p. 10
Scale	p. 10
Resources	p. 10
Rights to the report	p. 10
Experiential learning	p. 11
Students	p. 11
Small-scale evaluation: some issues and considerations	p. 11
Students as evaluators	p. 11
Negotiation	p. 13
Agreement	p. 15
Health and safety	p. 17
Assessment	p. 17
Access and ethics	p. 18
Resources and research design considerations	p. 18
Are the findings of small-scale evaluation ever used?	p. 20
Diversity of use	p. 20
Consultation and contact	p. 22
Timing of evaluation	p. 23
Managerial willingness to act on evaluation	p. 23
Understanding Evaluation	p. 26
Summary	p. 26
Overview of evaluation issues	p. 27
Evaluation as everyday activity	p. 27
Defining evaluation	p. 28
Formative and summative evaluation	p. 29
Evaluation history: public programs and the 'classic' evaluation model	p. 30
Emergence of different kinds of evaluation	p. 31
Three major approaches to evaluation	p. 31
The role of the evaluator	p. 34
Roles of other evaluation participants	p. 37
Commissioners of evaluation	p. 37
Sponsors and gatekeepers	p. 38
Other Stakeholders	p. 39
Timing of evaluation in relation to program activity	p. 41
The link between evaluation and policy	p. 42
Models of evaluation practice	p. 44
Models which emphasize accountability	p. 44
Impact assessment/outcome evaluation (the 'classic' model)	p. 44
Goal-free evaluation	p. 45
Models which emphasize development/process	p. 46
Process evaluation	p. 46
Illuminative evaluation	p. 47
Responsive evaluation	p. 48
Utilization-focused evaluation	p. 49
Participatory evaluation	p. 49
Empowerment evaluation	p. 51
Theorizing evaluation	p. 52
Fourth-generation evaluation	p. 52
Theory-driven evaluation	p. 54
Realistic evaluation	p. 55
Revisiting the small-scale evaluation model	p. 57
Student projects	p. 58
Evaluation and Ethics	p. 60
Summary	p. 60
Introduction	p. 61
Models of evaluation and the treatment of ethics	p. 61
How can evaluation be seen as fair judgement?	p. 63
Evidence and response: presenting critical findings	p. 64
Evidence-based evaluation: ethical issues	p. 67
Being seen to be independent: ethical issues	p. 71
Student evaluators and independence	p. 74
Independence and justice: codes and dilemmas	p. 75
Key principles	p. 76
Codes	p. 76
Dilemmas: justice and care	p. 87
Planning Research	p. 92
Summary	p. 92
Planning evaluation research	p. 92
Setting the evaluation questions	p. 92
Negotiating the research design	p. 95
Criteria for research design	p. 97
Combining multiple methods	p. 98
Research plan checklist	p. 101
Research activities and methods	p. 102
Epistemology and the role of the researcher	p. 102
Methods of experiencing	p. 104
Observation	p. 104
Methods of enquiring	p. 110
The survey	p. 110
Qualitative interviews	p. 117
Notifying subjects	p. 122
Recording the information	p. 122
Research with children	p. 124
Research with and by disabled people	p. 125
Methods of examining	p. 126
Local area statistics	p. 126
Organizational records	p. 127
Personal records	p. 128
Sampling	p. 128
Selection of participants in the research	p. 128
Probability samples	p. 129
Non-probability samples	p. 131
Quota sampling	p. 131
Theoretical sampling	p. 132
Snowball sampling	p. 133
Samples of convenience	p. 133
Suggestions for further reading	p. 134
Analysing the Data	p. 136
Summary	p. 136
Quantitative or structured data	p. 137
Data and the rules of measurement	p. 137
Organizing quantitative data for analysis	p. 139
Using computers with quantitative data	p. 142
Checking the information for consistency and errors	p. 142
Reducing and summarizing the information	p. 143
Looking for patterns in the data	p. 145
Testing hypotheses or constructing explanations	p. 147
Recognizing associations	p. 149
Qualitative or naturalistic data	p. 150
Analysing recorded interviews	p. 151
Transcription	p. 152
Accuracy in transcription	p. 152
Thematic analysis	p. 153
Coding data	p. 155
Applying codes	p. 155
Categorizing codes, reducing information and developing explanations	p. 156
Narrative	p. 157
Oral history	p. 159
Representation in qualitative analysis	p. 161
Suggestions for further reading	p. 162
Reporting on Evaluation: Communicating to Audiences	p. 163
Summary	p. 163
The final report - structure and audiences	p. 164
Style and language	p. 165
Using language sensitively	p. 166
Constructing the text	p. 167
Presenting criticisms	p. 172
Beginning the written report	p. 174
Structure of the written report	p. 175
Title	p. 175
Contents list	p. 175
Acknowledgements	p. 176
Executive summary	p. 176
Introduction and background information	p. 178
Purpose of evaluation and methods chosen	p. 179
Results and findings	p. 180
Conclusions and recommendations	p. 181
Appendices	p. 184
Presentation	p. 184
Length	p. 185
Making the report accessible to readers and writers with dyslexia	p. 186
Dissemination	p. 187
Reflecting on Evaluation	p. 189
Summary	p. 189
Thinking about reflexivity and reflection	p. 190
Reflexivity	p. 191
Position of the researcher	p. 192
Reflection	p. 194
Experiential learning	p. 196
Developing reflexivity and reflection in evaluation practice	p. 197
Research diary	p. 198
Structure	p. 198
Reflective account	p. 204
Assessing the process of evaluation: the role of reflection	p. 214
Reflection within the evaluation report?	p. 214
Case-studies of Small-Scale Evaluation	p. 216
Summary	p. 216
Charington Hostel	p. 216
Executive summary	p. 217
Research methods	p. 218
Limitations of the sample	p. 219
Negotiating the role of evaluator	p. 220
The findings	p. 221
Meaning of 'home'	p. 223
Conclusions and recommendations	p. 225
Response of the client	p. 226
Comment	p. 226
Oriel Day and Resource Centre	p. 227
Executive summary	p. 228
Research methods	p. 229
The findings	p. 229
Conclusions and recommendations	p. 232
Response of the client	p. 232
Comment	p. 233
Evaluation Agreement	p. 235
Risk Assessment	p. 237
Health and Safety Questionnaire	p. 239
Bibliography	p. 242
Index	p. 252
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