Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
I have used the first edition as a required text for a number of years. The writing style is very good. Students appreciate the language, the organization, and the use of clear, relevant examples.-Douglas E. Angus, Director, Ph.D. Program in Population Health, University of Ottawa, Canada
Evaluation Fundamentals: Insights Into the Outcomes, Effectiveness, and Quality of Health Programs is for students and professional evaluators who want to answer the following questions:
- Was this program or intervention effective? - Who among the program's participants benefited most? - For how long can the program's impact and outcomes be sustained? - What are the reasons for the program's successes and failures?
Now in its Second Edition, the book contains an added emphasis on outcomes, effectiveness, and quality of evaluations. Author Arlene Fink teaches the basic concepts and vocabulary necessary to do program evaluations and to review the quality of evaluation research so as to make informed decisions about methods and outcomes. Among the topics the book covers is how to justify evaluation questions and set standards of effectiveness, design studies, and conduct ethical research. The book contains numerous examples of evaluation methods as well as evaluation reports. It also includes practice exercises and suggested readings in print and online.
Individual evaluators can use Evaluation Fundamentals successfully on their own or in small or large groups. The book is designed for anyone concerned with understanding and objectively documenting the implementation and effectiveness of programs in health settings. It is also ideally suited as a text for evaluation courses indepartments of education, public health, nursing, public policy, and psychology.
Key Features - Emphasis on the outcomes, effectiveness, and quality of evaluations- In-depth coverage of ethics and IRBs, and the principles that guide them in the evaluation process- Pedagogical features such as chapter overviews, reader's guides, chapter summaries, exercises, and suggested readings- Step-by-step guidelines for the use of expert panels, choosing a data source, and conducting meta-analysis
Praise for the First EditionFink presents in a clear and easy-to-follow style a step-by-step approach to program evaluation from reviewing the initial program design to presenting the final report. The frequent use of 'real-life' examples illustrates the importance and role of program evaluation for students, researchers, policymakers, and funding agencies interested in health care. In the current political climate, where health care reform is imminent, this book may play a vital role in helping policymakers distinguish those programs that work from those that don't.-Steven J. Bernstein, M.D., Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical Center
I've read Dr. Fink's book with a great deal of interest and attention. She presents an introduction to the problems of program evaluation in health, education and related fields, that is complete, superbly organized, and clearly and enjoyably presented. It is a book that can serve as a template by which evaluation studies might be modeled.-Helena Chmura Kraemer, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Stanford University Medical Center
Synopsis
Now in its Second Edition, the book contains an added emphasis on outcomes, effectiveness, and quality of evaluations. Author Arlene Fink teaches the basic concepts and vocabulary necessary to do program evaluations and to review the quality of evaluation research so as to make informed decisions about methods and outcomes. Among the topics the book covers is how to justify evaluation questions and set standards of effectiveness, design studies, and conduct ethical research. The book contains numerous examples of evaluation methods as well as evaluation reports. It also includes practice exercises and suggested readings in print and online.