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Experimental Evaluation Design for Program Improvement
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Experimental Evaluation Design for Program Improvement



December 2019 | 104 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc
The concepts of cause and effect are critical to the field of program evaluation. Experimentally-designed evaluations—those that randomize to treatment and control groups—offer a convincing means for establishing a causal connection between a program and its effects. Experimental Evaluation Design for Program Improvement considers a range of impact evaluation questions, particularly those questions that focus on the impact of specific aspects of a program. Laura R. Peck shows how a variety of experimental evaluation design options can provide answers to these questions, and she suggests opportunities for experiments to be applied in more varied settings and focused on program improvement efforts.
 
List of Boxes, Figures, and Tables
 
Volume Editors’ Introduction
 
About the Author
 
Acknowledgments
 
Chapter 1 • Introduction
The State of the Field

 
The Ethics of Experimentation

 
What This Book Covers

 
Questions and Exercises

 
Resources for Additional Learning

 
 
Chapter 2 • Conceptual Framework: From Program Logic Model to Evaluation Logic Model
Program Logic Model

 
Evaluation Logic Model

 
Conclusion

 
Questions and Exercises

 
Resources for Additional Learning

 
 
Chapter 3 • The Basic Experimental Design Defined
Random Assignment Explained

 
The Basic (Two-Armed) Experimental Design

 
To Have a Control Group or Not to Have A Control Group?

 
Questions and Exercises

 
Resources for Additional Learning

 
 
Chapter 4 • Variants of the Experimental Design
Multi-Armed Designs

 
Factorial Designs

 
Multistage Designs

 
Staggered Introduction Designs

 
Blended Designs

 
Aligning Evaluation Design Options With Program Characteristics and Research Questions

 
Conclusion

 
Questions and Exercises

 
 
Chapter 5 • Practical Considerations and Conclusion
Some Practical Considerations

 
Road Testing

 
Principles for Conducting High-Quality Evaluation

 
Questions and Exercises

 
Resources for Additional Learning

 
 
Appendix • Doing the Math and Other Technical Considerations
Estimating Treatment Impacts

 
How to Interpret Results

 
Handling Treatment Group No-Shows and Control Group Crossovers

 
Subgroup Analyses

 
Conclusion

 
Questions and Exercises

 
Resources for Additional Learning

 
 
References
 
Glossary
 
Index

Peck reminds us that the results from experiments only inform us about average effects, but more importantly provides us with the information necessary to look inside the "black box."

Roger Boothroyd
University of South Florida
Post-revision review

Experimental evaluations are feasible under the right conditions. This book is an excellent guide for evaluators that want to apply this underutilized design in their practice.

Sebastian Galindo
University of Florida
Post-revision review

 A sophisticated and well-written treatise of evaluation design to improve policies and programs.

Katrin Anacker
George Mason University
pre-publication review

Sample Materials & Chapters

Chapter 1: Introduction


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