CONTENTS

Table of Contents
Introduction

1. Introduction to Evaluation
2. What Does an Evaluation Project Look Like
3. Understanding Types of Evaluation Projects
4. Preparing for Your Evaluation

Supplements
Resources

Evaluation for the Unevaluated:
Program Evaluation 101

Step 5. Collect data

This phase has a concrete start and end date. Most programs collect pretest and posttest data. More ambitious programs will track participants over a longer period of time to see how long program effects last. Common followup times are 6 months and 12 months. Jack's team collected baseline data at the start of Cool After School and postttest data at the end.

Here's a graph showing data collection points for days of marijuana use.

It is very important to have a set procedure to collect and store data. Usually completed instruments are photocopied for use in analysis. The originals are filed away, almost always under lock and key.

In this phase, you will also code and clean data and enter it into analysis software (such as SAS and SPSS). Coding and cleaning involves preparing data for entry and verifying that it is accurate.