When and how to survey potential respondents is often determined by budgetary and external constraints, but choice of survey modality may have enormous implications for data quality. Different survey modalities may be differentially susceptible to measurement error attributable to interviewer assignment, known as interviewer effects. In this…

Evaluation designs for social programs are developed assuming minimal or no disruption from external shocks, such as natural disasters. This is because extremely rare shocks may not make it worthwhile to account for them in the design. Among extreme shocks is the 2010 Chile earthquake. Un Buen Comienzo (UBC), an ongoing early childhood program in…

Background: Surveys of community-based programs are difficult to conduct when there is virtually no information about the number or locations of the programs of interest. This article describes the methodology used by the Helping Young Smokers Quit (HYSQ) initiative to identify and profile community-based youth smoking cessation programs in the…

Findings from an evaluation of a model system for delivering mental health services to youth were reassessed to determine the robustness of key findings to the use of methodologies unavailable to the original analysts. These analyses address a key concern about earlier findings--that the quasi-experimental design involved the comparison of two…

This article discusses the use of propensity scoring in experimental program evaluations to estimate impacts for subgroups defined by program features and participants' program experiences. The authors discuss estimation issues and provide specification tests. They also discuss the use of an overlooked data collection design--obtaining predictions…

Changes made in 1981 to the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program under the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act were evaluated. Multiple quasi-experimental designs (interrupted time series, non-equivalent comparison groups, and simple pre-post designs) used to address evaluation questions illustrate the issues faced by evaluators in…

Determining which program evaluations in developing countries are appropriate/feasible for randomized experiments to plan and evaluate social programs is discussed. Five threshold conditions are defined. Reviews of experiments from Barbados, China, Colombia, Kenya, Israel, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Taiwan, and the United States illustrate the issues…

A solution to the problem of specification error due to excluded variables in statistical models of treatment effects in nonrandomized (nonequivalent) control group designs is presented. It involves longitudinal observation with at least two pretests. A maximum likelihood estimation program such as LISREL may provide reasonable estimates of…

A problem for program evaluators involves a search for ways to maximize internal validity and inferential power of research designs while being able to assess long-term effects of social programs. A multimethodological research strategy combining a delayed control group true experiment with a multiple time series and switching replications design…

Four aspects of the relationship between auditing and evaluation in their approaches to program assessment are examined: (1) their different origins; (2) the definitions and purposes of both, and the questions they seek to answer; (3) contrasting viewpoints and emphases of auditors and evaluators; and (4) commonalities of interest and potential…

New, simple methods for applying benefit-cost analysis in situations where the variables are nonmonetary are discussed. The approach involves handling nonmonetary variables by converting the problems into questions regarding whether a nonmonetary return is worth more or less than a given dollar cost. The article codifies what good decision makers…

Factors that influence the sample size necessary for longitudinal evaluations include the nature of the evaluation questions, nature of available comparison groups, consistency of the treatment in different sites, effect size, attrition rate, significance level for statistical tests, and statistical power. (Author/GDC)

The use of theoretical models in impact assessment can heighten the power of experimental designs and compensate for some deficiencies of quasi-experimental designs. Theoretical models of implementation processes are examined, arguing that these processes are a major obstacle to fully effective programs. (Author/CM)

The choice between experimental research or process-oriented oriented research as the only valid paradigm of evaluation research is rejected. It is argued that there is a middle ground. Suggestions are made for mixing the two approaches to suit particular research settings. (Author/GK)

Effectiveness of a new 72-hour delivery system (USXPRESS) for pharmaceuticals purchased by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) from VA depots was evaluated by comparing 33 test sites with 11 matched sites using a pretest posttest quasiexperimental design. The USXPRESS system reduced inventory, decreased space needs, and satisfied service…