For this week’s discussion, we will be discussing evaluability by looking at what it means and what the importance is. Rather than focusing on your specific project here, you can look at this broadly. However, it would be helpful for you to choose one project (yours or another) to use in explaining the importance.
Required Resources
Text
Rossi, P. H., Lipsey, M. W., & Freeman, H. E. (2004). Evaluation: A systemic approach (7th ed.).
Chapter 5: Expressing and Assessing Program Theory
Chapter 6: Assessing and Monitoring Program Process
Article
Lipsey, M., Petrie, C., Weisburd, D., & Gottfredson, D. (2006). Improving evaluation of anti-crime programs: Summary of a National Research Council report (Links to an external site.). Journal of Experimental Criminology, 2(3), 271-307. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11292-006-9009-6
Uses and Limitations of Evaluation Research – Drug Trafficking
Prior to beginning work on this discussion forum, be certain to have read all the required resources for this week.
Evaluation research is a unique, applicable form of scientific inquiry. While the conceptualizations of ordinary research methods form the foundation upon which evaluation research rests, there are some nuances found in evaluation that are unique. One such nuance centers on questions of whether a particular policy or program can be evaluated.
Critique the design of an evaluation by describing what evaluability means and why proper evaluability is so fundamental to the success of any specific project. For examples on strategies for how to determine evaluability, you should make use of the Lipsey, Petrie, Weisburd, and Gottfredson article and this week’s required reading from the Rossi, Lipsey, and Freeman text. You may support your position with both scholarly and non-scholarly credible sources.
