Program audit delves into comparisons between a program's operation and its design to look for actual or potential problems in the operation in order for administrators to make the necessary corrections and adjustments while the program is in operation. (Author/IRT)

Papers in this collection address issues related to participatory approaches to assessing impact. The first section, "What Is an Impact Study and How Should We Do It?" contains: (1) "Participatory Impact Assessment" (John Shotton); (2) "Participatory Action Research as an Approach to Impact Assessment" (Victoria…

This paper describes a relatively new approach to program evaluation, the "learning history" approach. The paper also presents preliminary results of a pilot test of the method and provides a preliminary account of how this new approach will be compared to the classic goals-based approach to evaluation. The learning history method was…

This guide demystifies the process of evaluation by explaining the components of an evaluation design. It is designed to help program or project managers understand that they are an integral part of the evaluation process and a beneficiary of the results. The book can be used in all sectors of the organizational world, including education. The…

A simple approach to evaluation which keeps program components in their proper perspective is to: evaluate what the program is attempting to accomplish, determine if the resources are being utilized most efficiently and effectively, and evaluate to see if the program is actually accomplishing what it is designed to accomplish. (Author/SC)

Critical incident analysis provides support for the continuation of classroom training of supervisors, primarily assuring that those trained will be better learners in subsequent job positions." (Author/AN)

Program evaluation must be practiced by all members of all trades, disciplines, professions, or any other group of people whose efforts are aimed at making a difference. There is a role for "content free" evaluation methodology resources, but not for a professional "content free" evaluator. (RL)

The use of a qualitative technique, the evaluator's journal, is proposed for supplementing quantitative methods of program evaluation. The journal's functions are described as a data storage instrument, biography of the program, and source of feedback. Five types, or approaches, illustrate its capability for accommodating unique needs. (GK)

Suggests that meaningful evaluation requires a pre-evaluation design that assures evaluators and decision-makers that they know what they want from an evaluation and that they are able to get unambiguous and useful information, and that methodological and logistical problems of evaluation be considered at the outset. (Author/IRT)

Describes a partnership of youth and adults in Ontario, Canada in the generative process of participatory evaluation as youth and adults jointly produced a conference as a participatory evaluation and worked as democratic equals toward a common goal. (SLD)

Used findings from the evaluations of California's Greater Avenues for Independence program and the National Evaluation of Welfare-to-Work Strategies to illustrate why it is important to question the legitimacy of such syntheses. Results show how tempting generalizations are not justified. (SLD)

Setting the context for this theme issue on responsive evaluation, this article describes the core ideas of Robert Stake's responsive evaluation, presenting them as originally framed and discussing their evolution over time. Explains that the rhetoric and ethic of responsive evaluation is to be open, to find more than the initial issues. (SLD)

Presents a vocabulary of the evaluation capacity building (ECB) field and reviews the relatively small ECB literature and what it teaches for evaluation practice. Introduces the other chapters of this special issue on ECB. (SLD)