Evaluation (2nd Edition)

Rating:
Summary: outstanding
Review: the only evaluation book you'll ever need. it covers every subject and is beautifully written -- clear, graceful, and informative.

Rating:
Summary: First edition is shorter and better
Review: This is the second edition of Weiss's original work on the subject of evaluation. The first edition written in the early 1970's really is a classic of the policy analysis field, a definite five in the Amazon rating scale. Unfortunatley, the second edition is an illustration of where less is more. It contains alot of detailed text that makes it a good reference, but a very poor read.

The purpose of Weiss's book is to give students, and practitioners an introduction to the field of evaluation. Evaluation is much like a 'how-to' manual of the policy sciences. It is filled with lists of important facets of research such as material explaining the concepts of scientific inquiry, and material on different research methodologies such as the difference between a random sample and a convenience sample, or the difference between qualitative and quantitative research. Weiss even gives advice on what to expect from the program staff during an evaluation and how to handle the inevitable tensions evaluation creates. Throughout her book, Weiss concentrates on driving home one central idea: Good evaluation is based on defining, testing and analyzing the assumptions of program theory. There are many different areas in which programs can run astray, but by focussing on theory, the evaluator can keep themselves on track. Surprisingly, after emphasizing this point, Weiss fails to place the concept of evaluation within a larger theoretical framework. Her book contains a short discussion of the political legislation that triggered the growth of evaluation science, but it does not outline the assumptions or the alternatives behind the legislation. Evaluation is best used as a reference for clarification on particular evaluation research issues, and not as a text from which to understand the implicit assumptions of evaluation science.