Setting out the basics of designing, conducting and analysing an evaluation study in healthcare, the authors take a practical approach, assuming no previous knowledge or experience of evaluation. All the basics are covered, including: - How to plan an evaluation - Research governance and ethics - Understanding data - Interpreting findings - Writing a report Cases included throughout to demonstrate evaluation in action, and self learning courses give the reader an opportunity to develop their skills further in the methods and analysis involved in evaluation.

How can evaluation be used most effectively, and what are the strengths and weaknesses of the various methods? Colin Robson provides guidance in a clear and uncluttered way. The issue of collaboration is examined step-by-step; stakeholder models are compared with techniques such as participatory evaluation and practitioner-centred action research; ethical and political considerations are placed in context; and the best ways of communicating findings are discussed. Each chapter is illustrated with helpful exercises to show the practical application of the issues covered, making this an invaluable introduction for anyone new to evaluation.

Evaluation research can assess the value and effectiveness of interventions and innovations involving people. While this has often been on a grand scale, this book focuses on small-scale projects carried out by an individual or small group, typically lasting for weeks or at most a few months, at a local rather than national level. Using limited jargon and featuring integrated, real-world examples, this second edition offers a clear, accessible background to evaluation and prepares you to undertake your own small-scale evaluation research project. Key features include discussion of: Different approaches to evaluation and how to choose between them The advantages and disadvantages of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) Realist evaluation and its increasing importance The centrality of ethical and political issues The influence and opportunity of the Internet Tightly focused on the realities of carrying out small-scale evaluation, Small-Scale Evaluation is a highly practical guide covering the needs of both social scientists and others without this background. Colin Robson is an Emeritus Professor in the School of Human & Health Sciences at the University of Huddersfield.

This handbook is designed to meet the needs of the growing number of health professionals who are engaged in processes of evaluation in a variety of contexts within the world of healthcare.

A new and updated definitive resource for survey questionnaire testing and evaluation Building on the success of the first Questionnaire Development, Evaluation, and Testing (QDET) conference in 2002, this book brings together leading papers from the Second International Conference on Questionnaire Design, Development, Evaluation, and Testing (QDET2) held in 2016. The volume assesses the current state of the art and science of QDET; examines the importance of methodological attention to the questionnaire in the present world of information collection; and ponders how the QDET field can anticipate new trends and directions as information needs and data collection methods continue to evolve. Featuring contributions from international experts in survey methodology, Advances in Questionnaire Design, Development, Evaluation and Testing includes latest insights on question characteristics, usability testing, web probing, and other pretesting approaches, as well as: Recent developments in the design and evaluation of digital and self-administered surveys Strategies for comparing and combining questionnaire evaluation methods Approaches for cross-cultural and cross-national questionnaire development New data sources and methodological innovations during the last 15 years Case studies and practical applications Advances in Questionnaire Design, Development, Evaluation and Testing serves as a forum to prepare researchers to meet the next generation of challenges, making it an excellent resource for researchers and practitioners in government, academia, and the private sector.

Reflecting the latest developments in the field, the Second Edition provides readers with effective methods for evaluating health programs, policies, and health care systems, offering expert guidance for collaborating with stakeholders involved in the process. Author David Grembowski explores evaluation as a three-act play: Act I shows evaluators how to work with decision makers and other groups to identify the questions they want answered; Act II covers selecting appropriate evaluation designs and methods to answer the questions and reveal insights about the program’s impacts, cost-effectiveness, and implementation; and Act III discusses making use of the findings. Packed with relevant examples and detailed explanations, the book offers a step-by-step approach that fully prepares readers to apply research methods in the practice of health program evaluation.

‘The perfect text for any health care professional who wishes to gain a sound understanding of research...This text succeeds where others fail in terms of the thoroughness of the research process and the accessible style in which the material is presented. In an age when nursing and health care research is going from strength to strength this book offers those in the world of academia and practice an excellent and essential 'bible' that is a must on any bookshelf’ Dr Aisha Holloway, Lecturer Adult Health, Division of Nursing, The University of Nottingham ‘a book that helps you each step of the way. A very understandable and enjoyable publication’ Accident and Emergency Nursing Journal ‘key reference resource that students of research can use at various levels of study. It is comprehensive, user friendly and very easy to read and make sense of’ Gillian E Lang, Amazon reviewer The sixth edition of this book reflects significant developments in nursing research in recent years, ensuring the reader is provided with the very latest information on research processes and methods. It continues to explore how to undertake research as well as evaluating and using research findings in clinical practice, in a way that is suitable for both novice researchers and those with more experience. Divided into six sections, the chapters are ordered in a logical fashion that also allows the reader to dip in and out. The first two sections of the book provide a comprehensive background to research in nursing. The third section presents a variety of qualitative and quantitative approaches, both new and well-established. The final three sections then look at collecting and making sense of the resulting data and putting the research findings into clinical practice. Summarises key points at the start of each chapter to guide you through Includes contributions from a wide range of experts in the field Accessible but doesn’t shrink away from complex debates and technical issues New to this edition: Accompanying website (www.wiley.com/go/gerrish) Ten completely new chapters including Narrative Research, Mixed Methods and Using Research in Clinical Practice ‘Research Example’ boxes from a wide variety of research types