Evaluation Failures


Book Description

Evaluation Failures: 22 Tales of Mistakes Made and Lessons Learned is a candid collection of stories from seasoned evaluators from a variety of sectors sharing professional mistakes they have made in the past, and what they learned moving forward. As the only book of its kind, editor Kylie Hutchinson has collected a series of engaging, real-life examples that are both entertaining and informative. Each story offers universal lessons as takeaways, and discussion questions for reflective practice. The book is the perfect companion to anyone working in the evaluation field, and to instructors of program evaluation courses who want to bring the real world into their classroom.




Practical Wisdom for an Ethical Evaluation Practice


Book Description

This book provides a contemporary and thought-provoking exploration of the concept of practical wisdom--what it is and how it can be incorporated into evaluation practice. It defines what practical wisdom is, explores its roots, where it stands today, what constitutes the "wise" evaluator, and how we can develop sound judgment in an unpredictable and chaotic time. It brings together evaluation thought leaders and practitioners to examine the concept of practical wisdom. The authors’ enlightening essays are interwoven with reflective strands comprised of commentaries, examples, and new ideas added by Hurteau and her colleagues that offer a recursive and intricate pattern of reflection on the topic of practical wisdom. This is a rare book because it moves beyond evaluation methodology to explore how practical wisdom can help us develop new and better solutions for difficult evaluation situations. It will become a standard reference for practitioners, trainers. and teachers of evaluation because it considers the history, ethics, and competencies that underpin practical wisdom, and examines the ways that this untaught skill can be applied, to do, as House says, “the right thing in the special circumstances of performing the job.”




Report No. FHWA-RD.


Book Description




Failing in the Field


Book Description

A revealing look at the common causes of failures in randomized control experiments during field reseach—and how to avoid them All across the social sciences, from development economics to political science, researchers are going into the field to collect data and learn about the world. Successful randomized controlled trials have brought about enormous gains, but less is learned when projects fail. In Failing in the Field, Dean Karlan and Jacob Appel examine the taboo subject of failure in field research so that researchers might avoid the same pitfalls in future work. Drawing on the experiences of top social scientists working in developing countries, this book describes five common categories of failures, reviews six case studies in detail, and concludes with reflections on best (and worst) practices for designing and running field projects, with an emphasis on randomized controlled trials. Failing in the Field is an invaluable “how-not-to” guide to conducting fieldwork and running randomized controlled trials in development settings.







Computer Security - ESORICS 2010


Book Description

The EuropeanSymposium on Researchin Computer Security (ESORICS) has a tradition that goes back two decades. It tries to bring together the international research community in a top-quality event that covers all the areas of computer security, ranging from theory to applications. ESORICS 2010 was the 15th edition of the event. It was held in Athens, Greece, September 20-22, 2010. The conference received 201 submissions. The papers went through a careful review process. In a ?rst round, each paper - ceived three independent reviews. For the majority of the papers an electronic discussion was also organized to arrive at the ?nal decision. As a result of the review process, 42 papers were selected for the ?nal program, resulting in an - ceptance rate of as low as 21%. The authors of accepted papers were requested to revise their papers, based on the comments received. The program was c- pleted with an invited talk by Udo Helmbrecht, Executive Director of ENISA (European Network and Information Security Agency). ESORICS 2010 was organized under the aegisof three Ministries of the G- ernment of Greece, namely: (a) the Ministry of Infrastructure, Transport, and Networks, (b) the General Secretariat for Information Systems of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and (c) the General Secretariat for e-Governance of the Ministry of Interior, Decentralization, and e-Government.










Productive Objects


Book Description

Introduces, in simple text and photographs, the characteristics of some of the animals and plants that can be found in the forest. Includes a chipmunk, box turtle, fern, bull moose, moth, ermine, and white birch.




Utilization-Focused Evaluation


Book Description

The Fifth Edition of the bestselling Utilization-Focused Evaluation provides expert, detailed advice on conducting evaluations that promote effective use of the findings. Chock full of useful pedagogy, this book presents Michael Quinn Patton′s distinctive opinions based on more than forty years of experience, and also the expertise of new co-author Charmagne E. Campbell-Patton. The authors begin by describing the essence of utilization-focused evaluation, and then outline 10 operating principles. They conclude with chapters focused on how evaluation can be used to promote a more thoughtful, equitable, and sustainable world. Richly illustrated with examples, figures, and cartoons, this engaging text shows readers how to design and conduct evaluations that provide useful findings, and which contribute to a more equitable society. A companion website is available to accompany this book.