Evaluation data frequently do not confirm program administrators' and recipients' perceptions of benefits; positive perceptions will occur without regard to actual behavioral and cognitive social psychological theory. Implications are drawn for program planning and for evaluation methodology. (Author/CTM)

Program theory and implementation process theory contribute, respectively, to specifying the what and the why of program delivery. This article discusses the relationship between these two theories and the types of data collection methods that can be derived from each in order to contribute to more comprehensive evaluation designs. (JAZ)

Investigated relative differences in perceived attainment of professional competencies according to educational and experiential backgrounds of rehabilitation counselors, vocational evaluators, and job placement specialists working in three major employment settings. Results suggest that level and type of educational degree held by rehabilitation…

A literature review and a proposed means of measuring face validity, a test's appearance of being valid, are presented. Empirical evidence from examinees' perceptions of a college entrance examination support the reliability of measuring face validity. (GDC)

Based on the "Courseware Evaluation Project," supported by the Israeli Ministry of Education and Culture, this article addresses basic issues regarding formative evaluation practices in the context of computerized instruction. Topics discussed included the rationale for evaluation, elements to evaluate, dimensions for assessing quality, and…

Examined how assessment center methods affect the way assessors organize and process assessment center information and affect the ratings they make. Results suggested that methods for evaluating assessment center candidates affected the way the assessors organized the assessment center information and affected the obtained ratings. (Author/ABB)

Selection decisions in the evaluation of applicants for managerial positions and recommended starting salaries were examined in samples of professional interviewers and students. Significant differences were noted bewteen the two samples in the number and nature of factors used in making selection and salary decisions. (Author/ABB)

A developmental perspective on supervising evaluation practicum students suggests that students go through developmental stages as they enhance their evaluation skills. A three-stage model adapted from counseling training theory developmental perspective is illustrated for eight developmental tasks: competence, emotional awareness, autonomy,…

The pooled judgements of evaluators and users of evaluations on eight panels examining eight simulated evaluation situations in higher education were analyzed. Choices regarding evaluation phases and tactics were found to be dependent on evaluation goals (wether the evaluation has a formative or summative purpose) and contextual variables.…

Describes a structured set of procedures for critical script appraisal of nontheatrical scripts by carefully selected evaluators. An overview of the procedure, script reviewer qualities, the questionnaire's structure and objectives, and discussion of a sequence-by-sequence evaluation, script annotations, reviewer comments, and report preparation…

This is the third issue of "The Evaluation Exchange" devoted entirely to the theme of methodology, though every issue tries to identify new methodological choices, the instructive ways in which people have applied or combined different methods, and emerging methodological trends. For example, lately "theories of change" have gained almost…

This guide begins with a story about a second to third grade reader named Jason. The story is written from the perspective of Jason's mother, and models ways his mother helps him and his brother expand their basic reading skills now that they have grown beyond early reading. One way is providing a special reading chair where Jason can comfortably…

Recently, the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) changed by including a writing section that gives the examinee an option between computer and handwritten formats to compose their responses. Unfortunately, this may introduce several potential sources of error that might reduce the reliability and validity of the scores. The seriousness…

Few studies exist on the impact of practical participatory evaluation when the evaluator is not only a member of the organization, but also has program knowledge and expertise. This paper addresses this gap in the literature by reporting on a 2.5-year longitudinal single case study of practical participatory evaluation of a national, publicly…

Raters' agreement and the relative consistency of diving judges at a boy's competition were analyzed using intraclass correlations within 16 position x type combinations. Judges' variance was significant for 5 of the 16 combinations. Point estimates were generally greater for consistency than for raters' agreement about scores. (Author/CM)