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References and further resources

Books on evaluation

Patton, M.Q. (1986) Utilization-focused evaluation. Sage: Beverley Hills, California.

Pawson, Ray and Nick Tilley (1997) Realistic Evaluation. Sage: London.

Wadsworth, Yoland (1997) Everyday Evaluation on the Run. 2nd ed.
Allen and Unwin: St Leonards, NSW.

Woodhill, J. and Robins, L. (1998) Participatory Evaluation for Landcare and Catchment Groups. Greening Australia: Yarralumla ACT

Evaluation websites

The following websites provide information and links to further resources on evaluation:

The American Evaluation Society www.eval.org

The Australasian Evaluation Society www.aes.asn.au

United Kingdom Evaluation Society www.evaluation.org.uk/ukes_new/index.htm

Harvard Family Research Project’s evaluation periodical, The Evaluation Exchange, www.gse.harvard.edu/hfrp/eval.html

Social Venture Partners Online library: evaluation and outcomes – a reference list of evaluation sources, www.svpseattle.org/resource_libraries/Outcomes/Outcomes.htm

Evaluating community engagement

These resources are targeted more specifically at the evaluation of community engagement activities. They include resources on the evaluation of community engagement in specific fields such as health, community development and environmental planning, as well as practical generic guides.

Association for the Study and Development of Community (2001) Principles for Evaluating Comprehensive Community Initiatives. Gaithersburg, Maryland, www.capablecommunity.com/pubs/NFCVP062001.pdf

Beierle, Thomas C. (1998) Public Participation in Environmental Decisions: An Evaluation Framework Using Social Goals. Resources for the Future: Washington DC, www.rff.org/Documents/RFF-DP-99-06.pdf

Chess, Caron (2000) ‘Evaluating Environmental Public Participation: Methodological Questions’ Journal of Environmental Planning and Management 43(6). 769-784.

Community Toolbox: Methods for Evaluating Comprehensive Community Initiatives, ctb.ku.edu/tools/en/chapter_1039.htm

Effective Interventions Unit Evaluation Guide 10: Evaluating Community Engagement, www.drugmisuse.isdscotland.org/goodpractice/EIU_evaluationg10.pdf

Frewer, Lyn, Gene Rowe, Roy Marsh and Catherine Reynolds (2001) Public Participation Methods: Evolving and Operationalising an Evaluation Framework. UK Department of Health and Health Safety Executive, Norwich, www.doh.gov.uk/risk/riskreport.pdf

Fulbright-Anderson, Karen, Anne C. Kubisch, and James P. Connell (1998) New Approaches to Evaluating Community Initiatives, Vol. 2: Theory, Measurement, and Analysis. The Aspen Institute: Queenstown, Maryland, www.aspeninstitute.org/Programt3.asp?bid=1264

Improvement and Development Agency Partnership Evaluation Tool (To access this, register as a user of the IDeA knowledge site), www.idea-knowledge.gov.uk/knowledge/pages.nsf/httppublicpages/263e1f06ad2660b680256d800042cd1d?opendocument

InterAct (2001) Evaluating participatory, deliberative and co-operative ways of working, www.interactweb.org.uk/papers/discussion1.htm

Metropolitan Planning Organization for the Miami Urbanized Area/Gannet Fleming (2001) Public Involvement Effectiveness Evaluation Program, www.co.miami-dade.fl .us/mpo/document/MPO_pip_effective_200111.pdf

NSW Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources, www.iplan.nsw.gov.au/engagement/cycle/step5.php

Partnership Self-Assessment Tool, www.partnershiptool.net/abouttool.htm

Scottish Community Development Centre (2002)

Smith, Mike and Mike Beazley (2000) ‘Progressive Regimes, Partnerships and the Involvement of Local Communities: A Framework for Evaluation’ Public Administration 78(4). 855-878.

University of Wisconsin – Cooperative Extension (An excellent site with a range of resource for evaluating ‘collaborative’ activities), www.uwex.edu/ces/pdande/evaluation/evaldocs.html

Crime prevention evaluation

Evaluating Juvenile Justice Programs: A Design Monograph for State Planners ‘Why evaluate’. www.bja.evaluationwebsite.org/html/documents/documentg.html

A Guide to Evaluating Crime Control of Programs in Public Housing. www.bja.evaluationwebsite.org/html/documents/documentz.html

Principles for Evaluating Community Crime Prevention Projects (2002) www.ncp.gov.au/www/ncphome.nsf/0/D4665DFE50AA4044CA256B130081F6DE?OpenDocument

Evaluating Community Engagement in Health

National Resource Centre for Consumer Participation in Health www.participateinhealth.org.au/evaluate/key_references.htm

Examples of evaluations

Armstrong, A. and Rutter, A. (2002) Evaluating the Success of a Crime Prevention Strategy Targeting Community Capacity and Participation. Paper presented at the 2002 Australasian Evaluation Society International Conference. Wollongong Australia.

Atlanta Regional Commission (2002) ARC Evaluation of 2001 Public Involvement Activities in Transportation Planning Atlanta Regional Commission: Atlanta, Georgia. www.atlreg.com/mobilityair/GetInvolved/EVALUATION%20REPORT.pdf

New Zealand Ministry of Social Development (various evaluation reports) www.msd.govt.nz/work-areas/social-research/csreresearch-reports.html

Seattle Planning Commission Citizen Participation Evaluation Final Report www.cityofseattle.net/planningcommission/publications.htm

USA EPA Toolbox for Stakeholder Involvement Evaluation Resources (this page provides links to several evaluation reports on various community engagement exercises) www.epa.gov/evaluate/toolbox/index.htm

Evaluation methodology

Armstrong, A. et al (2002) Diffi culties in developing and using social indicators to evaluate government programs: a critical review. (discussion of how to choose indicators)
www.aes.asn.au/conference/armstrongpr4.pdf.

Eldis Participation Resource Guide: Participatory monitoring and evaluation www.aspeninstitute.org/Programt3.asp?bid=1264

National Science Foundation (1997). User-friendly handbook for mixed-method evaluation (A general guide to evaluation research).
www.ehr.nsf.gov/EHR/REC/pubs/NSF97-153/start.htm

University of Wisconsin Extension (1998) Evaluating Collaboratives: Reaching the potential (guidance on planning a program evaluation of collaborative processes)
cecommerce.uwex.edu/showcat.asp?id=1606

Research resources

Human Resources Development Canada (n.d.) Evaluation Tool Kit Focus Groups
www11.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca/edd-pdf/sp-ah112-07-99e.pdf

Miles, M. and Huberman, A.M. (1994) Qualitative Data Analysis. Sage: Thousand Oaks, Ca.

Myers, M. (n.d.) Qualitative Research in Information Systems
www.qual.auckland.ac.nz

Patton, MQ. (1990) Qualitative evaluation and research methods, 2nd ed sage: Newbury Park, Cal. (an excellent book on the role of qualitative vs. quantitative methods)

Seidel, J. (1998) Qualitative Data Analysis
www.scolari.co.uk/ethnograph/qda.pdf

Trochim, B. (2002) Quasi-experimental design
www.trochim.human.cornell.edu/kb/quasiexp.htm

University of Wisconsin – Cooperative Extension (a site with a number of excellent resources on conducting research including guides on: quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis, sampling, surveys and observation) cecommerce.uwex.edu/showcat.asp?id=1606

An additional and more comprehensive list of evaluation resources across a number of areas of government social service delivery is available on the web from the Wisconsin, USA Department of Health and Family Services at www.dhfs.state.wi.us/aboutdhfs/OSF/Evaluation/EvaluationResourceGuide11-03.pdf

Social capital, community capacity, quality of life and social indicators

Bush, Robert, Dower, Jo and Allyson Mutch (2002) Community Capacity Index Manual v.2. University of Queensland Centre for Primary Health Care.

Putnam, R. (1995) Bowling Alone: America’s Declining Social Capital. Journal of Democracy. 6(1), 65-78.

Winter, I. (ed) (2000) Social capital and public policy in Australia. Australian Institute of Family Studies: Melbourne.

See also:
www.audit-commission.gov.uk
www.oecd.org/home
www.abs.gov.au

Last reviewed
27 May 2011
Last updated
22 June 2011