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Program Evaluation: Forms and Approaches
Program Evaluation, Third Edition , provides a conceptual and practical overview of the evaluation process in real-world educational, organizational, and social service settings. Using an issues-driven perspective, Owen helps students and practitioners compare and select from an array of evaluation approaches by providing an original conceptual framework for the five major forms of evaluative proactive, clarificative, interactive, monitoring, and impact.
298 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 1994
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 26, 2022
My rating of three stars is based on the product description, which also appears on the back cover of the book:
"Program Evaluation offers a conceptual yet straightforward and practical overview of the evaluation process for both beginners and experienced practitioners."
I would not describe this book as a 'practical overview'. It is certainly not the case that you could read the book and then plan an evaluation of any kind. The book gives an excellent and very useful theoretical taxonomy of types, or forms, of evaluation. As a theoretical taxonomy, I would rate the book with four stars. For each of these forms, the book suggests different methods that could be used to achieve the purposes of the particular form. The descriptions of the methods are quite varied. Some are reasonably detailed, others very skeletal. There is not enough detail in any of them to serve as the basis for planning an evaluation, though Owen does give references which can be followed up for further detail and examples.
As a typology, the book is useful. As a practical guide, much less so.
"Program Evaluation offers a conceptual yet straightforward and practical overview of the evaluation process for both beginners and experienced practitioners."
I would not describe this book as a 'practical overview'. It is certainly not the case that you could read the book and then plan an evaluation of any kind. The book gives an excellent and very useful theoretical taxonomy of types, or forms, of evaluation. As a theoretical taxonomy, I would rate the book with four stars. For each of these forms, the book suggests different methods that could be used to achieve the purposes of the particular form. The descriptions of the methods are quite varied. Some are reasonably detailed, others very skeletal. There is not enough detail in any of them to serve as the basis for planning an evaluation, though Owen does give references which can be followed up for further detail and examples.
As a typology, the book is useful. As a practical guide, much less so.
June 17, 2025
I appreciated the detailed case studies that were used to demonstrate the form of program Evaluation being discussed.
I wish there was an expansion in terms of the rationale that was used for determining why that particular approach within that form was being used.
I wish there was an expansion in terms of the rationale that was used for determining why that particular approach within that form was being used.
July 18, 2013
Painfully dry. Will use for my assignment, then quickly discard.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews