This widely used introduction to evaluation is a practical, no-nonsense guide for busy program staff in human services who are asked to conduct evaluations without any previous training. The book offers a practical overview of the main approaches to evaluation, strategies for involving stakeholders, and the evaluation industry's toolbox of models and techniques.

'Practical, useful counsel emanates throughout. Impressively grounded in real world experiences.' - Michael Quinn Patton, author of Utilisation-Focused Evaluation Effective evaluation can provide valuable insights into the way a program, a course or an organisation is being run, and direction for improvement. This widely-used introduction to evaluation is intended for non-specialists in the human services who need to do evaluation as part of a busy workload. Everyday Evaluation on the Run offers a practical over view of the main approaches to evaluation, strategies for involving stakeholders, and the evaluation industry's toolbox of models and techniques. The author emphasises the core principles and concepts of evaluation, and the idea of building a culture of evaluation. This third edition of Everyday Evaluation on the Run reflects current thinking on values in organisations and the need to use evaluation to guide future practice rather than just as an auditing process. With extensive examples, it is a handy reference for professionals and students in health, welfare, and community work, and in government and non-profit agencies.

Evaluating programs has become a fixture in the human service sector. In many cases, program staff are asked to conduct the evaluation without any training on how to properly do it. This widely used introduction to evaluation is intended for non-specialists who need to do evaluation as part of a busy workload. The book offers a practical overview of the main approaches to evaluation, strategies for involving stakeholders, and the evaluation industry’s toolbox of models and techniques. The author emphasizes the core principles and concepts of evaluation, and provides extensive examples. This third edition reflects current thinking on values in organizations and the need to use evaluation to guide future practice. It is a handy reference for professionals and students in health, welfare, and community work, and in government and non-profit agencies.

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Action Research is an invaluable guide to novice researchers from a diversity of disciplines, backgrounds, and levels of study for understanding how action research works in real-life contexts. It helps students see the value of their research in a broader context, beyond academia, to effect change on a larger scale.

Qualitative Research: Analyzing Life, Second Edition presents a fresh approach to teaching and learning qualitative methods for social inquiry—one that focuses on analysis from the very beginning of the text. By exploring qualitative research through a unique analytic lens, then cumulatively elaborating on methods in each successive chapter, this innovative work cultivates a skill set and literacy base that prepares readers to work strategically with empirical materials in their own fieldwork. Johnny Saldaña and Matt Omasta combine clear, accessible writing and analytic insight to show that analysis, in its broadest sense, is a process undertaken throughout the entire research experience. The Second Edition provides a number of updates including more on digital materials and methods, including sentiment analysis of social media data, and ethics in social media research. Resources for instructors and students are available on a website to accompany the book.

With the rapid growth of collaborative, indigenous, and community-based research, one of the key challenges researchers face is finding an effective way of involving non-researchers in the research process. Do It Yourself Social Research has been a best-selling methodology guide for action research projects and community groups in Australia for almost three decades. Always emphasizing the importance of a spirit of inquiry, it demystifies the research process, covering where to start, how to manage a research project, what methods, techniques and resources to use, and interpretation, analysis and reporting. This third edition has been thoroughly revised, adding the use of narrative and dialogue in research, rich research design, and what digital technology can (and can’t) contribute to the research process. With its hands-on, no-nonsense approach, Do It Yourself Social Research is an essential resource for community groups, college students, and other novice researchers in health, social welfare, education and related areas.