This assignment includes two separate tasks: Key Issues Review (1a) AND Program Logic (1b).

Your overall mark reflects on a separate assessment of the two tasks in which the Key Issues review counts 25% and the Program Logic counts 15% of your overall mark in the unit.

2a: Key Issues Review

Word limit: 1500 words.

For the Key Issues Review task you have to write a concise review of eight (8) readings pertaining to one or two of the topics listed below. The purpose of the assessment task is to ensure that you understand the key principles of and discussions relating to evaluations for your chosen topic. You are required to demonstrate a critical understanding of the readings and the issues they raise. It is intended to be an exercise that provides you with a clear overview of the field and the issues and discussions that take place.

The aim is to allow you to choose a topic that you have an interest in. It is therefore essential to identify you own learning objectives for this assignment and frame your review around those learning objectives.

For the review you can choose one or two of the following topics:

1. The nature of social science and what it means for evaluations

2. The role of evidence in the policy cycle/process

3. The nature of social problems and what it means for evaluators

4. The role of stakeholders in evaluations

5. Utilisation of evaluation research

6. Values and evaluations

If you have another wish for a topic, please consult teaching staff prior to writing your assignment.

The readings can be a mix of readings provided in this unit and readings you find through a literature search in the library, or similar. You can choose (say) 3 readings from the list of mandatory readings as well as (say) 3 readings from the list of elective readings in addition to (say) 2 readings found through a literature search.

The reference list is not included in the word limit.

2b: Program Logic Task

Word Limit: 750 words

The Program Logic task requires you to develop a program logic for a (ONE) program or policy. 

You are encouraged to choose a program or policy that you have an interest in. Please consult teaching staff to discuss suitability.

Program logic models are one of the most widely used tools in evaluation research. This assignment is designed to allow you to develop skills associated with using this tool.

You should present the program logic in diagrammatic form or a table and draw on suitable resources, such as “Does your project make a difference?”, or similar. You should also describe the logic in the text of your paper and how to make sense of your diagram or table. And, you should briefly discuss the assumptions and limitations of the program logic model presented.

The word count does not include diagrams or tables.

Evaluation Proposal

This research assignment requires you to develop an evaluation proposal for a program or policy.

The purpose of this assignment is to make you able to enter the field (relatively) confident that you are able to undertake at least small scale evaluations. This assignment is designed to give you the skills that enables you to design an evaluation.

To allow you to develop skills that you can use in your future career, you are encouraged to choose a program or policy that you have an interest in. Please consult teaching staff to discuss suitability.

You should organise the proposal so that it includes the elements outlined in the table below.  

Note: The sections indicated with an asterix * (cover letter, research timetable, budget, personnel, appendices) normally feature in research proposals and grant applications, but due to the word limit for this task they do not have to be included here (and will not count toward your task). References (which are compulsory) do not count toward your word limit. Also, please make sure that you make linkages between the different sections of this report where appropriate.

Table 1: Evaluation Proposal

Cover letter*

You should include a cover letter and address the evaluation proposal

Title

The title should indicate the topic of the study in 1- 15 words

Summary

100 to 200 word summary of the entire project

Background/

Significance

This section should outline the program that you will be evaluating in the proposed research and indicate why evaluation is needed. For instance, are there controversies about the program or the social issue it responds to? Why is there a need for further information about this program? When indicating why the evaluation is needed, you should discuss the program, the social issue that it responds to and what the evaluation will contribute to our knowledge.

Literature Review

A concise summary of the main references relevant to evaluating the selected program. Make sure that you review the findings of other studies and discuss their methodology. At the end of this review, draw out the important messages for the evaluation and the methodology. It is imperative that multiple sources with a range of authors are consulted to allow for a diversity of views to be explored and identification of controversies about the program (or similar types of programs).

Aims and

Objectives

Identify the study’s main objective and the key research questions that will guide the evaluation. After identifying the main objective, it might help to consider whether you need information on the effectiveness, appropriateness, and efficiency and so on of the program.

Approach and methods

Discuss the suggested approach and justify why you have chosen that approach. What methods will you use? What will be the outcome of using these methods? Which stakeholders will be involved? It is imperative that you explain the links between the evaluation question(s), the evaluation approach, the methods and how these will be operationalised in this particular case. Use references if appropriate.

Ethical and

Political Issues

Identify any specific issues arising from the research. Pay careful attention also to generic ethical issues in research with human subjects – Respect for Persons: Informed Consent; confidentiality; possible risks for subjects and any possible benefits. State whether Ethics approval has, or will be sought, and if so, from whom. Also, consider the political dimensions of this report – are there controversies about the program or social issue? Are there any conflicts of interest (i.e. as internal or external evaluators)? And, consider the ethical issues that are likely to arise because this is evaluation research. Use references (including those covered in the unit) if appropriate.

Research

Timetable*

Set out the best information available on the time needed for the various stages of the research: preparation, data collection, analysis, write up, publication/dissemination.

Personnel*

Where appropriate, identify the main people (including yourself as primary researcher)

are likely to be involved and summarise the experience and expertise they would need to bring in order to produce high quality data.

Budget*

This is required for many grant applications, consultancies, etc. It is often useful to complete in other cases as well.

References

List any books, articles, reports, web sites etc. you have cited in the proposal.

Appendices*

Attach any important documents (e.g. questionnaires, ethics approvals, CVs, budget, sampling framework) referred to in the body of the proposal.

This assessment task is intended to encourage and reward you for actively engaging with the ideas involved in the lectures and articles.

Instead of attending weekly tutorials, as might occur with a campus based unit requiring attendance, you are required to record your ideas on the reading and lecture each week.

You participate by writing a short paragraph (or two or three, 100 - 400 words) in Word before posting it on the Online Forum (Discussion Board) under the relevant week.

Please make a separate entry for the reading and the lecture respectively when relevant. 

The discussion board allows you to engage with others in debate, so please read what others have said before making submitting your post each week.

You mark will be determined by:

• the number of your postings
• the quality of your postings, and
• the extent of your engagement with others