In no-difference research, no differences are found among groups or conditions. This article summarizes the existing commentary on such research. The characteristics of no-difference research, its acceptance by the research community, strategies for conducting such studies, and its centrality within the experimental and nonexperimental paradigms…

The author compares his experiences evaluating Peace Corps volunteers in Kenya and evaluating a health promotion program for adolescents in Orange County, California. Doing international evaluations can improve domestic evaluations by heightening awareness of often unrecognized cultural variations in the domestic setting. (BS)

Is it ethical to select clients at random for a beneficial social service, then deny the benefits to a control group for the sake of science? Participation of control groups in planning, implementation and evaluation of social programs may resolve ethical issues. (Author/CP)

Using examples from government program evaluation studies, six areas where research synthesis is more effective than individual studies are presented. Research synthesis can: (1) help match treatment type with recipient type; (2) explain which treatment features matter; (3) explain conflicting results; (4) determine critical outcomes; (5) assess…

Analysis of the assumptions underlying the stakeholder approach to evaluation combined with the limited experience in testing the approach reported in this volume, suggests that some claims are cogent and others problematical. (Author)

Representative models of program evaluation are described by their approach to values, and categorized by empirical style: positivism versus humanism. The models are: social process audit; experimental/quasi-experimental research design; goal-free evaluation; systems evaluation; cost-benefit analysis; and accountability program evaluation. (CP)

The promise of the stakeholder approach to evaluation lies in its potential to counter criticism that evaluation is too narrow, unrealistic in its standards for success, unfair to program staff and participants, and irrelevant to decision makers. (Author)

Critiquing the stakeholder idea, the author states: if government chooses to take account of competing views in social program evaluation, it can get a better result if it encourages the competing views to find a voice of their own, not to speak through the government's chosen instrument. (Author/PN)

Time series analysis is applied to an assessment of the temporary and permanent impact of the 1975 Australian Family Law Act and its effect on number of divorces. The application and construct validity of the model is examined. (Author/PN)

The 9 articles of this theme issue stem from a project on alcohol and drug abuse that involved 14 projects, 10 of which began with randomized clinical trials. These papers describe implementation problems associated with experimentation in field research and the focus on ensuring internal validity. (SLD)

This chapter describes the implementation and lessons learned from the conduct of three field experiments in education. All three evaluation designs used randomized assignment. Results showed even under very adverse and unstable conditions, randomized designs can be maintained. (LMO)