Why am I Always Being Researched? A Guidebook for Community Organizations, Researchers, and Funders to Help Us Get from Insufficient Understanding to More Authentic Truth
This guidebook describes an equity-based approach that addresses the unequal power dynamics between researchers and the subjects of research, especially when the focus of the research is on marginalized communities. In addition to describing the ways that research can perpetuate inequities, the resource offers guidance for researchers (and evaluators) on recognizing unintended biases in their work and advice for community members on increasing their engagement and leadership in research and evaluation work.
Source: Chicago Beyond, 2018
Improving Evaluation Readiness for Reentry Programs
This brief describes the factors that program administrators and evaluators should consider when determining a program’s readiness for an outcome or impact evaluation. Although the examples in the brief are drawn from reentry programs, the brief highlights programmatic features, such as the size of the population served and data availability, that apply to a wide range of education and social service programming, including higher education in prison programs.
Source: C. Lindquist and Martinez, A., U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance, 2020
Reentry Program Evaluation Readiness Planning Guide
A partner publication to Improving Evaluation Readiness for Reentry Programs, this guide provides a tool for assessing a program’s readiness for an outcome or impact evaluation. The guide lists the five recommendations for evaluation readiness adapted for this brief and a set of questions that program administrators and evaluators can ask to determine whether each recommendation has been followed.
Source: C. Lindquist and Martinez, A., U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance, 2020
Demystifying Program Evaluation in Criminal Justice: A Guide for Practitioners
Developed by the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority and designed for criminal justice practitioners, this article provides an overview of key evaluation terms, concepts, and principles and practical tips for starting a program evaluation. The content describes how program evaluations can improve the efficacy and efficiency of programs and offers guidance on setting evaluation goals, developing logic models, and choosing a research design.
Source: Jessica Reichert and Alysson Gatens, 2019
Program Evaluation Toolkit: A Module Based Toolkit for Professional Development and Program Evaluation
This resource from the U.S. Department of Education offers education practitioners and evaluators practical guidance on conducting evaluations of local, state, and federal programs. The toolkit is composed of eight modules that include step-by-step guidance on different aspects of program evaluation, such as creating a logic model, developing evaluation questions, and reporting findings.
Source: J. Stewart, J. Joyce, M. Haines, D. Yanoski, D. Gagnon, K. Luke, C. Rhoads, and C. Germeroth, U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Regional Educational Laboratory Central, 2021