Evaluation Resources By Topic

1. The Evaluation Process

2. Survey Resources

3. Resources on Data Collection

4. Focus Group Resources

5. Resources on Analysis and Reporting

The Evaluation Process

The Evaluation Process (General Guides about Evaluation)

1. The 2010 User-Friendly Handbook for Project Evaluation (PDF)

2. The Step-by-Step Guide to Evaluation: How to Become Savvy Evaluation Consumers (W.K. Kellogg Foundation, 2017)

3. Key Evaluation Checklist by Michael Scriven (PDF)

4. User-Friendly Handbook for Mixed Method Evaluations (National Science Foundation)

5. Conducting Mixed Method Evaluations (Version 1, 2013 PDF)

6. Introduction to Mixed Methods in Impact Evaluation (No. 3, August 2012 PDF)

7. A Guide to Writing a Program Evaluation Plan (2016 PDF)

8. The Program Manager’s Guide to Evaluation, Second Edition (PDF)

9. Rural Community Health Toolkit (RHIhub, 2017)

Planning an Evaluation

1. Checklist for Evaluation Plans and Operations (The Evaluation Center, Western Michigan University, 2018)

2. Steps for Writing Program Objectives Tipsheet (Penn State Cooperative Extension, 2001)

3. Let’s Get S.M.A.R.T. … Steps to Create Program Objectives (CERE, 2021)

4. Developing Evaluation Questions (CDC)

5. Evaluation Questions Checklist for Program Evaluation (PDF)

6. Evaluation Questions: A Checklist to Help Focus Your Evaluation (PDF)

7. Developing Program Goals and Measurable Objectives (SMART Objectives) (CDC)

8. Smart Objectives (PDF)

9. Checklist for Evaluation Design (The Evaluation Center, Western Michigan University, 2004)

10. Evaluation Design (RHIhub, 2017)

11. Choose an Evaluation Design (The Pell Institute and Pathways to College Network)

12. Performance Indicator Baselines (Version 2, June 2021 PDF)

Survey Resources

Margin of Error in Surveys

1. Margin of Sampling Error in Surveys (American Association for Public Opinion Research)

2. Margin of Error Calculator (SurveyMonkey)

3. Your Guide to Margin of Error (With Calculator) (Qualtrics)

Writing Survey Questions

1. Question Order Tipsheet (Penn State Cooperative Extension, 2001)

2. Survey Question Sequence, Flow, & Style Tips (Qualtrics)

3. Program Evaluation Tip Sheet: Constructing Survey Questions (CDC, 2011)

4. Writing Survey Questions (Pew Research Center)

5. Probing Questions in Interviews: A Tipsheet (University of Wisconsin Extension, 2006)

6. Answer Categories and Target Audience Tipsheet (Penn State Cooperative Extension, 2006)

7. Crafting Questions with Less Bias: A Tipsheet (Penn State Cooperative Extension, 2001)

8. Useful Answer Categories Tipsheet (Penn State Cooperative Extension, 2004)

9. What is a Survey (PDF)

10. Questionnaire Design: Asking Questions with Purpose (PDF)

11. A Step-By-Step Guide to Developing Effective Questionnaires and Survey Procedures for Program Evaluation & Research (Rutgers, 2002)

Sampling & Response Rates

1. How to Get a Respectable Response Rate (PDF)

2. Increasing Response to Surveys Tipsheet (Penn State Cooperative Extension, 2005)

3. How to Increase Survey Response Rates (Qualtrics)

4. Random Samples: How and Why Tipsheet (Penn State Cooperative Extension, 2001)

5. How to Determine Sample Size: A Tipsheet (Penn State Cooperative Extension, 2001)

6. Determining Sample Size: How to Ensure You Get the Correct Sample Size (PDF)

Procedures

1. Collecting Evaluation Data: Surveys (PDF)

2. Cover Letter for a Survey (Penn State Cooperative Extension, 2005)

3. Typical Content of Cover Letters for Mail, Internet, or In-person Surveys (PDF)

4. A Sample Cover Letter for Surveys (PDF)

Resources on Data Collection

1. Methods for Collecting Information (PDF)

2. Selecting Data Collection Methods (PDF)

3. Basic Evaluation Tools and Resources (PDF)

4. Linking Research Questions and Data Collection Methods (The Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education, 2019)

Focus Group Resources

1. Using Focus Groups in Program Development and Evaluation (U of Kentucky – Extension)

2. Methods of Data Collection in Qualitative Research: Interviews and Focus Groups (PDF)

3. What is a Focus Group | Step-by-Step Guide & Examples (Scribbr)

4. Data Collection Methods for Program Evaluation: Focus Groups (CDC, 2018)

5. Using Focus Group Interviews for Planning or Evaluating Extension Programs (IFAS Extension, University of Florida, 2020)

Resources on Analysis and Reporting

1. Collecting And Analyzing Evaluation Data, 2nd edition (PDF)

2. Section 5. Collecting and Analyzing Data (Community Tool Box, Center for Community Health and Development, University of Kansas)

3. Checklist for Program Evaluation Report Content (Evaluation Center, Western Michigan University, 2017)

4. Evaluation Report Checklist (PDF)

5. Developing an Effective Evaluation Report (PDF)