Program Evaluation: Embedding Evaluation into Program Design and Development

This text aims to build evaluation capacity by increasing knowledge about evaluation and improving skills to conduct evaluations. The book’s embedded approach uses program theory to understand relationships between activities and objectives, logic modeling to represent the program’s theory, and an evaluation matrix to structure the evaluation within the program. The approach is systematic and focused on continuous improvement. The Second Edition adds topics suggested by users of the book, incorporates content that the author has added to her own classes, and covers emerging areas in evaluation since the publication of the first edition such as artificial intelligence and equity in evaluation. A companion website at http://edge.sagepub.com/Giancola2e includes a number of instructor resources including editable PowerPoint slides and assignments.

Sue Giancola, Ph.D. has over 20 years of experience as an evaluator in both academia and private business. Prior to becoming an evaluator, she worked in corporate and higher education settings on process improvement initiatives. Dr. Giancola is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s Policy Research, Evaluation, and Measurement program. She also has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia in systems engineering and a master’s degree from Pennsylvania State University in management. She is currently Senior Associate Director of the Center for Research in Education and Social Policy (CRESP) at the University of Delaware. Her work focuses on research and evaluation of programs to improve human services, primarily in the areas of education and health. She evaluates many local, state, and federal initiatives, including projects funded through NIH, NSF, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and U.S. Department of Education. Dr. Giancola is a member of the American Evaluation Association and the American Educational Research Association. She lives in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania with her husband and two daughters.