Re: theory-based or theory-driven evaluations

["David J. Pratto" <djpratto@xxxxxxxx>]

On Mon, 23 Feb 1998 09:40:30 -0800 Anthony Petrosino 
<petrosan@HUGSE1.HARVARD.EDU> wrote:

> Dear Child-Maltreatment-Research-L members:
> 
> The Harvard Project on Schooling & Children is trying to obtain reports of
> "theory-based or theory-driven" evaluations.  
> 
> In these kind of evaluations, there is a clear theory about why the program
> is supposed to work on the outcome measure of interest.  Usually this
> includes an analysis of both intermediate and outcome measures.
> Intermediate measures are those that measure the crucial linkages in the
> pathway to the outcomes.
> 
> For example, a program theorizes that to impact delinquency, it must change
> the "self-concept" of juveniles.  A theory-based evaluation of this
> program, would at minimum, include measures of self-concept and delinquency.  
> 
> If anyone has conducted or knows about a theory-based or theory-driven
> evaluation, we would love to acquire the reference/citation.  We have
> covered the electronic data bases (NCJRS, CJ Abstracts, Sociofile,
> Psychinfo, Eric, Medline, NCCAN, etc.), but our search terms may have
> missed important references.
> 
> Thank you in advance for any help you may provide.
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Anthony
> __________
> 
> ____________
> 
> Anthony J. Petrosino 
> Spencer Post-Doctoral Fellow in Evaluation
> Harvard Project on Schooling & Children
> 126 Mt. Auburn Street
> Cambridge, MA 02138
> 
> Phone:617-496-6882
> Fax:  617-495-1994
> Email:Petrosan@hugse1.harvard.edu

----------------------
If you have not already looked at Peter Rossi, Howard 
Freeman, and Sonia Wright's EVALUATION: A SYSTEMATIC 
APPROACH (Sage publication) you should. I would also look 
at the educational evaluation literature and see if you can 
sort out the theory driven evaluation from legislative and 
other empirically driven approaches.

David J. Pratto, Prof. & Head       
Sociology-UNCG
P.O.Box 26170
Greensboro, NC 27402-6170
Phone: 336-334-5295
DJPRATTO@UNCG.EDU