Methods of Evaluating Practice and Programs: SOWK 4900

ASSIGNMENT #3. FINAL: EVALUATION PROPOSAL (50% OF FINAL GRADE) 

DUE 30 MINUTES PRIOR TO WEEK 10 LIVE SESSION Drawing on what you learned from reviewing the existing evidence and your agency’s needs, prepare your research proposal. The proposal should be 12-18 double-spaced pages excluding the appendices and references. Your proposal should be sufficiently detailed that another program evaluator could replicate the exact study with only your proposal as a guide. Include the following elements: Introduction (same as midterm – just copy and paste from the midterm, with any revisions suggested by the instructor) In approximately 3 paragraphs, provide a brief description of your program.• Background information about the extent of the social problem addressed by the program you intend to evaluate (should be supported by demographic data from the literature on prevalence of the social problem, particularly at the local level if available) • Brief background information about the program. Background information may include:           • Mission and vision of the program or organization             • Context in which the program is delivered              • Goals and objectives of the program             • Population served              • Number of clients              • Types of programming offered              • Staff characteristics               • Discuss to what extent clients are involved in program management/evaluation, etc. • Report whether (and how) the program is monitored or evaluated regularly. • What is the purpose of your program evaluation? What are your research questions?

Literature Review (Expanded from your mid-term. Start with your mid-term literature review (attending to comments made by your instructor). Then, add additional sources and create a more complete narrative about the issue you are studying. Draft a literature review that provides a justification, and context, for your research or evaluation question. Use this review to further explore what you already know about the problem and intervention/program, as well as to help you better understand how to carry out your evaluation project. Evaluation Design Your evaluation design provides the “recipe” for your evaluation. The design section of your proposal should be sufficiently detailed such that simply by reading your proposal someone would be able to replicate your study.  • Evaluation design and procedures for evaluation implementation – How will the evaluation be carried out? • Sample:        • Discuss the anticipated sample size and composition       • Discuss the extent to which your sample is representative of a broader population and the implications of this for your findings. Note, many samples will be convenience samples and not representative of larger populations.

 • Data collection methods (interviews, existing data, surveys, focus groups, etc.).• Measures        • Discuss the validity and reliability of instruments/questionnaires used.     • Have they been used with populations similar to yours? Note: This section of your proposal is primary in demonstrating your ability to evaluate a program and contribute to knowledge in your social work agency (practice behavior 10d). Data Analyses      • Describe how you will analyze the data. How you will determine whether or not there has been significant change in the outcomes or otherwise determine if the program is effective? 

Conclusions (Proposal – this is the last section in the body of the proposal)       • Provide any relevant summative statements about the proposed evaluation.       • Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of your evaluation plan        • Consider any potential obstacles and strategies you will use to overcome them.          • Consider the potential implications of this evaluation for your program, agency, as well as the field of social work.
Appendices • Verification of successful completion of the CITI SBER Research, Basic Course • Questionnaires, instruments, interview guides, etc. used for data collection • Logic model (same as midterm with revisions as suggested by instructor) • Project time line • IRB approval form 
Please be sure to: Submit your paper and appendices together in one document, rather than as multiple attachments