The ABCs of Evaluation: Timeless Techniques for Program and Project Managers

by John Boulmetis, Phyllis Dutwin

Thoroughly revised and updated, the third edition of bestselling The ABCs of Evaluation offers an introduction to program evaluation. This comprehensive textbook covers topics such as stakeholder relationships, program design, data collection and analysis, reporting results, and other important steps in the evaluation process. The ABCs of Evaluation shows how to select participants for the evaluation and how to deal with multiple goals and objectives-including those of the organization, the staff, and the client. The authors illustrate the circumstances under which each evaluation model can be used, and offer tips on identifying data sources and collecting the data. This revision includes substantially increased coverage of theory, methodological approaches, the business of evaluation, the evaluator's role and responsibilities, RFPs and the grants process, logic models, data analysis, and writing the evaluation report. Also included are new cases and scenarios from various evaluation realms in social sciences, education, health, and human services. Throughout the book, charts, graphs, models, and lists help organize, extend, and facilitate the understanding of each evaluation concept.

Praise for the Previous Edition of The ABCs of Evaluation

"A useful general overview of the evaluation process. I would recommend it to program or project managers wanting to know more about the process of evaluation." -American Journal of Evaluation

"All students (and practitioners) should have this in their library; they will use it frequently." -Patricia McGee, PhD, associate professor, University of Texas, San Antonio

Companion Web www.josseybass.com/go/Boulmetis

Genres: Nonfiction, Education

300 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 11, 2011

Reviews

[Ryan Rodriquez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Practical, But Lacking in Engagement

The ABCs of Evaluation: Timeless Techniques for Program and Project Managers by John Boulmetis and Phyllis Dutwin is a solid guide for anyone tasked with program or project evaluation, providing a straightforward, step-by-step approach. The content is highly practical, covering foundational concepts that are especially useful for beginners or those looking for a refresher.

However, while the information is valuable, the book suffers from a notably dry presentation. The authors stick closely to the essentials, but the text can feel like a slog—focused on information delivery without much attention to making it engaging. This straightforwardness is both its strength and its limitation: while you’ll find the techniques you need, you may struggle to stay invested, especially if you’re looking for a bit more storytelling or real-life examples to balance out the technical details.

Overall, this is a book I’d recommend to those with a specific interest or need in program evaluation, but not necessarily to casual readers. If you can get past the dryness, you’ll find practical tools here, though it may feel like more work than pleasure to get through.

[Dragomir Draganov · Rating 4 out of 5]

Нелоша книга, въвеждаща в темата за оценката на политики и програми.

[Sammi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read for a class - kind of bland but not terrible

[Shane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reasonably good text on the evaluation process.

[Lauren Perotto · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great as a beginner's guide. A little annoying as a graduate student text. Some redundancy. Relatable examples add to understanding.