Program Evaluation
This is to be a graduate level writing paper APA format 6 pages 6 references. The guidelines are attached please please make sure you follow the guidelines.It is 4 parts to the paper this is the 3rd part I will send you part 2 of the paper so you will know what to go by while doing part 3. I will also send additional files to go by.
Assignments #3 GUIDELINES
Too often in the past, programs have been designed to address specific problem areas with no follow up to determine their effectiveness. Client surveys or impressions of providers served as measures of the worth of a given program rather than data driven research and evaluation. In today’s world, programs must be able to provide evidence that they are not only effective, but that they are more effective than other interventions. Professional social workers also are ethically mandated to be competent, informed, and reflective practitioners who do no harm.
With this in mind, Assignments 3 and 4 are focused on the development of the evaluation plan to determine whether the program designed in Assignment 2 will be effective in achieving the outcomes for clients that it was designed to achieve. Assignment 3 explains the research plan, including the research questions guiding the evaluation, the research design, sampling method, protection of human subjects, and measurement tools. Assignment 3 isdue Week 12.
Directions:
1. Organize the papers according to the outlines provided below. Use the outline headings as subheadings for each section of the proposal.
2. The papers should:
a. Be typewritten/computer printed and double-spaced
b. Use 12 point font and 1 inch margins all around
c. Be a maximum length of:
i. 5-6 pages, not including references, for Assignment 3
d. Include a minimum of:
i. 6 new references in Assignment #3; type these in bold-face
e. Follow APA format for in-text citations and the reference list
f. Include relevant appendices
3. The grant proposal and evaluation plan are being developed incrementally. As each assignment is submitted, all previous assignments should be attached.
4. Papers submitted after the due date will be penalized 4 points per day.
Part II Program Evaluation
An evaluation plan should be written as if it were a recipe. That is, anyone else wishing to replicate the evaluation should be able to do so based on the written description of the research. Thus, the writing should be very clear and specific. The evaluation plan should be based on the goals and objectives of the program since the purpose of the evaluation is to determine whether or not the program accomplished what it was designed to accomplish.
Assignment #3: Research Plan
A. Research Questions or Hypotheses (1 page)
1) What research questions or hypotheses will guide the evaluation plan? These should specify what the outcome goals and objectives of the program are and should be worded to reflect the type of research design that is being used.
Example of a research question: Do children in the program have 40% higher self-esteem after the program than they had before the program?
Example of a hypothesis: Children in the program will have 40% higher self-esteem after the program than they had before the program.
(outcome = self-esteem, design = pre-test/post-test pre-experimental design)
B. Methodology (4-5 pages)
1) Research Design: Identify the specific research design to be used. Provide a diagram of the design. Why was that particular design selected? How (e.g., face-to-face interviews, self-administered questionnaires, observations) and when (note: must be integrated into timeline for final paper) will data be collected? Who will collect it? How will the data be secured?
2) Sampling: Who will be in the sample? Discuss who the target population is and exactly how a sample for study will be selected (hint: this is the sampling method and it is based on the recruitment strategy for the program). What kind of sample will the sampling method yield (e.g., stratified, convenience, simple random)? How large will the sample be? How representative of the target population will the sample be? What is the informed consent procedure and what specific information will people be given to help them to make an informed decision about participating in the study? To assist in the preparation of this informed consent material, please review the USC IRB informed consent templates for non-medical research with human subjects which are available at the following link:
http://www.usc.edu/admin/provost/oprs/upirb/forms/#icftemplates
3) Measurement: What are the major concepts under study and how are they operationalized? Define, both nominally (dictionary definition) and operationally (method of measurement), the independent and dependent variables for the evaluation study. Describe the outcome measures and give examples of some of the actual items/questions to be used. How reliable and valid are the measures? How are the measures scored and how are the scores interpreted? Be sure to properly cite all standardized instruments/scales, and include a copy in the appendix, if a copy can be obtained without having to pay for it. If a copy cannot be obtained for free, provide a full description of the measure so that the instructor can determine whether it is an appropriate tool for assessing the outcome of interest. For measures developed specifically for the evaluation, provide a detailed description, and how reliability and validity will be established. Be sure to include sample items and scoring procedures.
*Note: Once the measures have been selected, be sure to name them in the outcome objectives listed in the Program Statement (Assignment 2).
C. Appendix: Measurement tools
Grading
Assignment #3 will count for 20% of the final course grade. When grading the paper, the instructor will be looking for: clearly stated research questions or hypotheses that directly reflect the outcome goals and objectives of the program and the research design; well-articulated research design; a clear description of the target population, sampling strategy, and informed consent procedure; detailed description of the measurement tools; and compliance with the instructions in the assignment. As always, professional presentation (grammar, spelling, sentence structure, paragraph structure, organization of material, APA, etc.) will be a consideration in the grading. Weight will be given to the sections of the paper in the following manner:
A. Research Question or Hypotheses – 15%
B. Research Design – 25%
C. Sampling – 25%
D. Measurement (including attached measurement tools) – 25%
E. References – 5%
F. Professional Presentation– 5%
