RealWorld Evaluation

"This book moves the study of evaluation from the theoretical to the practical, so that evaluators can improve their work. It deals with most of the real issues that evaluators face, particularly at the international level."

-- John Mathiason

"This is one of the most practical textbooks in the field of evaluation that I have encountered. Its recognition of the limitations that affect program evaluation provides students with a realistic understanding of the difficulties in conducting evaluations and how to overcome these difficulties."

-- David C. Powell

"RealWorld Evaluation moves forward from where other evaluation textbooks stop. RWE challenges the evaluator to ask the difficult questions that can impact the design, implementation, and utilization of the evaluation. RWE then leads the reader through how to find efficient solutions to minimize these constraints."

-- Karen McDonnell

"RealWorld Evaluation is a must-read for students of program evaluation-the framework and emphasis on practical constraints makes it an invaluable tool for learning the art and science of public policy.

-- Amanda Olejarski

"This is an invaluable resource for both novice and experienced evaluators. It contains a variety of tools and recommendations to successfully design and implement effective evaluations for any size and type of program."

-- Sebastian Galindo

"Any research class focusing on real-world evaluation should start with this text; it is comprehensive, well-organized, well-written, and thoroughly practical."

-- Jeffrey S. Savage
I chose to stick with Reginald York′s Social Work Research Methods: Learning by Doing because it is a more hands-on approach to practice and program evaluation than RealWorld Evaluation. The course for which this is needed is a master′s level research-based evaluation course. Therefore, I need to integrate actual statistical familiarity (SPSS) alongside learning about evaluation and its techniques, which York′s text does nicely. -- Dr Christopher Shar * drupal *
An update of the previous edition that was already a reference in the field of public policy evaluation and which remains a reference manual in the matter. Approach very “problem-focused”, well organized and objective in the content and with a strong practical use, without losing the rigorous theoretical framework. A true “all-terrain tool box” to address the practical and real challenges of public policy evaluation. -- Professor Sérgio Vital Braz Caramelo * drup