Reflect and improve a toolkit for engaging youth and adults as partners in program evaluation

Reflect AND Improve . . . . .
A Tool Kit for Engaging
Youth and Adults as Partners
in Program Evaluation

II R E F L E C T A N D I M P R O V E
The Innovation Center for Community and Youth Development works to unleash the potential
of youth, adults, organizations, and communities to engage together to create a just and
equitable society. We connect thinkers and leaders of all ages to develop fresh ideas, forge new
partnerships, and design strategies that engage young people and their communities. We turn
theoretical knowledge into practical know-how that advances the field of youth development and
promotes social change.
The reproduction of these materials for use in trainings and workshops is permitted, provided
that copyright and source information is cited and credited. Any reproduction, translation, or
transmission of this material for financial gain, in any form or by any means — electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, microfilming, recording, or otherwise — without permission of the
publishers is prohibited.
Copyright 2005 Innovation Center for Community and Youth Development
ISBN 0-9712642-4-4
©2005 Innovation Center for Community and Youth Development
6930 Carroll Avenue
Suite 502
Takoma Park, MD 20912-4423
301-270-1700 phone
301-270-5900 fax
www.theinnovationcenter.org
info@theinnovationcenter.org
Reflect and Improve Tool Kit

R E F L E C T A N D I M P R O V E III
Background
This tool kit is produced as a result of a four-year joint initiative of the Innovation Center for
Community and Youth Development and the Institute for Applied Research in Youth Development
at Tufts University. The goal of the initiative, known as the Planning and Evaluation Resource
Center (PERC), is to advance the field of positive youth development by strengthening the
program planning and evaluation cycle of youth-serving agencies.
In partnership with the New England Network for Child, Youth and Family Services; Social Policy
Research Associates; and the University of Kentucky, PERC worked with 30 diverse community-based
youth organizations in both rural and urban settings, ranging from 4-H clubs, to youth civic
engagement organizations, to programs serving runaway youth. Through these partnerships, we
designed and tested practical evaluation tools and activities, made them available to many more
organizations through trainings and conference presentations, and disseminated them through
an electronic clearinghouse and tutorial designed by the project at www.evaluationtools.org.
With this tool kit, the project has taken the best of these tools and activities and presented them
in an easy to use format that guides groups of youth and adults through the process of planning,
designing, implementing, analyzing, and sharing the results of an evaluation. The Innovation
Center has also recruited and trained a cadre of youth and adult trainers/facilitators who will
work with practitioners to implement these evaluation strategies in a variety of organizations
across the country.
For more information on the Innovation Center’s evaluation work and to access trainers and
facilitators, please visit our web site at www.theinnovationcenter.org.
©2005 Innovation Center for Community and Youth Development Reflect and Improve Tool Kit

IV R E F L E C T A N D I M P R O V E
Acknowledgments
This tool kit is the product of the work and dedication of many youth, adults, organizations, and
communities committed to the strengthening of youth and community development at the local
level. Without their time, vision, and interest in using evaluation to improve practice, this
resource would not have been possible.
The following organizations piloted different pieces of the tool kit and other activities, lending
their time and expertise to the creation and improvement of evaluation practice.
Department of Community and Leadership Development at the University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY
CAPAY (Coalition for Asian Pacific American Youth)
Boston area, MA
Domus
Stamford, CT
Kids in Crisis
Cos Cob, CT
Leadership Excellence
Oakland, CA
McCracken County Teen 4-H Club
McCracken County, KY
Mi Casa Resource Center for Women
Denver, CO
New Beginnings
Lewiston, ME
New England Network for Child, Youth and Family Services
Burlington, VT
Outright
Portland, ME
Roca, Inc.
Chelsea, MA
Social Policy Research Associates
Oakland, CA
Spectrum Youth Services
Burlington, VT

R E F L E C T A N D I M P R O V E V
Vermont Coalition for Runaway and Homeless Youth Programs
Burlington, VT
Washington County Teen 4-H Club
Washington, KY
YUCA (Youth United for Community Action)
Bay Area, CA
Young Women’s Project
Washington, DC
The following individuals and organizations wrote many of the activities and provided much of
the content in the tool kit:
Roger Rennekamp, University of Kentucky, Department of Community and Leadership
Development. A nationally recognized leader and expert in the areas of evaluation and
youth–adult partnerships, Roger worked for two years creating, piloting, and revising core tool
kit activities with youth and adults in 4-H groups across the state of Kentucky and nationally.
Sengsouvanh Soukamneuth, Heather Lewis-Charp, Laura Heiman, and Johanna Lacoe,
Social Policy Research Associates. Many of the activities in this tool kit are adapted from the
Social Policy Research Associates’ and Innovation Center’s Evaluating Civic Activism Tool Kit:
A Curriculum for Community and Youth–Serving Organizations. Social Policy Research Associates
worked for three years with many community-based partners creating, piloting, and refining tool
kit activities and providing technical assistance on evaluation.
Janet Richardson, Independent Consultant. Jan reviewed all the evaluation and planning tools
created through the PERC project and wove them together, adding new materials from the
field and the Innovation Center, writing new pieces, and editing others to make the tool kit a
comprehensive and user-friendly resource.

VI R E F L E C T A N D I M P R O V E
We would also like to extend specific thanks to the following organizations and individuals for
their contributions to the design, editing, and printing of this tool kit:
Wayne Ctvrtnik, Ctvrtnik Design
Kevin Hackett, Oklahoma State University
Kim Hasten, Hasten Design
Karla Knoepfli, Oklahoma State University
Geri Lynn Peak, Two Gems Consulting Services
Caroline Polk, Polk Editorial Services
Michael Seberich, Bertelsmann Stiftung
Beth Tucker, University of Arizona

R E F L E C T A N D I M P R O V E VII
Contents
1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
How to Use This Tool Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
2. Youth–Adult Partnerships in the Evaluation Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
A Rationale for Youth Involvement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Summary: Why Involve Youth in Evaluation? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
A Framework for Youth Involvement in Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
A Continuum of Youth Involvement in Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Activity: Spectrum of Attitudes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Handout: Spectrum of Attitudes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Handout: Spectrum of Attitudes Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Handout: Charting Youth Involvement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Activity: Stages of Youth–Adult Partnerships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Activity: Identifying Barriers to Effective Partnerships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
3. Introduction to Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Why Evaluate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
4. Setting the Stage for Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Activity: Revisiting Mission and Goals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Constructing a Theory of Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
What Is a Logic Model? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Basic Elements of Logic Models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Creating a Logic Model—Where to Start? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Activity: Logic Modeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
Template: Community-Building Logic Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
Limitations of Logic Models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
Checking the Logic Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
Using Logic Models to Frame Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36

VIII R E F L E C T A N D I M P R O V E
5. Developing and Implementing an Evaluation Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
Activity: Warm-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
Worksheet: Cookie Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41
Taking Stock of Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
Activity: Taking Stock of Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
Handout: Resources to Leverage for Your Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
Checklist: Developing an Evaluation Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
Identifying Stakeholders and Their Information Needs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46
Stakeholder Inventory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
Meeting with Stakeholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
Establishing Evaluation Goals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
Activity: Identifying Goals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51
Worksheet: Identifying Goals for Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53
Identifying Evaluation Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54
Activity: Outcome/Process Evaluations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
Deciding What to Evaluate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
Activity: Generating Evaluation Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59
Template: Evaluation Questions Flip Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
Worksheet: Taking Stock of Existing Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
Developing Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
Activity: Specifying Indicators and Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65
Worksheet: Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
Existing Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67
Evaluation Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68
Sample Observation Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77
Activity: How, What, Why? Choosing Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79
Developing an Evaluation Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81
Analyzing Evaluation Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83
Communicating Evaluation Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85
Presenting Survey Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86
Next Steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88
Activity: Action Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89
Worksheet: Goal Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90
What Constitutes Good Evaluation? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91
6. Glossary/Resources/References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93
Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96

S E C T I O N 1 : I N T R O D U C T I O N 1
Introduction
This evaluation tool kit provides resources to engage young people and adults in the
evaluation of community-building initiatives. The tool kit is developed from a participatory,
empowerment-oriented perspective. Instead of contracting with an external evaluator to
assess a community-building initiative, this tool kit allows a community facilitator to capitalize on
the gifts and talents of community members. Through their involvement in evaluation activities,
community members gain new skills while engaging in reflective activities that lead to improve-ments
in their program, project, or activity (Fetterman, 1996 in Fetterman et al, 1996).
Program evaluation is often looked upon as a mysterious process that is best left to highly
trained professionals. Moreover, external evaluators are sometimes seen as being more objective
judges of an effort’s merits. But many times, community members themselves make the best
evaluators. They are known and trusted within the community and have access to information
that an external evaluator may not have. Their unique knowledge of the effort makes it easier for
them to give meaning to the data that has been collected.
To get a broad perspective on the data available, it is important to include young people as
evaluators in this process. In evaluating community-building activities—as in planning or
implementing them—it is critical to include young people in the decision-making processes,
because evaluation results will affect the programs that include youth.
Some people avoid the evaluation process because they feel they have little experience as
evaluators. But in reality, we are all experienced evaluators. We wake up in the morning, hear the
weather forecast, and make a judgment about how we should dress for the day. We get dressed,
look in the mirror, and make a judgment about our appearance. We evaluate every time we make
a consumer purchase.
The sections that follow are designed to help youth and adults build on the evaluation skills they
already have and put them to use in evaluating a community change effort.

2 S E C T I O N 1 : I N T R O D U C T I O N
This tool kit contains a series of strategies and activities related to evaluation. The series is
designed to be used both in total and by section. If used as a workbook during training sessions,
the content of each section is designed to build on the previous section and to cover all aspects
of self-evaluation. The content is also designed to be used section-by-section, so that readers
with different degrees of evaluation expertise can access the materials at different points. The
sections are as follows:
✹✹
Section 1: Introduction
Section 2: Youth–Adult Partnerships in the Evaluation Process
Rationale for including youth in the evaluation process and specific strategies and tips for
getting young people involved.
Section 3: Introduction to Evaluation
✹
Evaluation 101—an overview of key terms and concepts with a focus on the benefits and
challenges of evaluation.
Section 4: Setting the Stage for Evaluation
✹
✹
✹
HOW TO USE THIS TOOL KIT
Introduction to frameworks for evaluation, including logic models and theories of change.
Discussion of developing indicators to measure program success.
Section 5: Developing and Implementing an Evaluation Plan
A step-by-step guide to setting up the evaluation: looking at resources; identifying stakeholders;
setting goals; forming evaluation questions; and collecting, analyzing, and reporting data.
Section 6: Glossary/Resources/References
The following guidelines are offered to help you decide where to start:
1. No matter what your experience is with evaluation, if you are new to youth–adult partnerships
or need a brief refresher, start with 2: Youth–Adult Partnerships in the Evaluation Process.
2. If you have a solid background in working as a member of a youth–adult partnership but are
new to the evaluation process or are just beginning a new evaluation, then begin with
3: Introduction to Evaluation. This will help you look at what is involved and determine how to
get started.
3. If your organization has an evaluation plan in place, but does NOT have a logic model or theory
of change, then you can begin with 4: Setting the Stage for Evaluation.
4. If you have an evaluation plan and logic model but need help with choosing data collection
methods, designing tools, or analyzing or using data, then go to 5: Developing and
Implementing an Evaluation Plan.
We suggest that you read through this tool kit first to get a feel for what it contains. Then you can
decide where and how to begin your evaluation work.

S E C T I O N 2 : Y O U T H – A D U LT P A R T N E R S H I P S 3
Youth–Adult
Partnerships in the
Evaluation Process
T A RATIONALE FOR YOUTH INVOLVEMENT
his tool kit emphasizes that both youth and adults make important and essential
contributions to any evaluation effort. In particular, young people have important insights
into what needs to be evaluated. They bring fresh approaches to data collection and
analysis.
Engaging young people in community building is a process through which young people
and adults work as partners to examine their community, create a vision for the future, and
implement an action plan that leads to desired change. But planning and doing are only the
beginning. Evaluation is needed to determine what worked, what didn’t, and what should be
done differently. Evaluation also helps the team determine whether it achieved the desired
results. A community-building effort is not complete without evaluation. And, as with the
planning and doing, it is important that young people be involved as partners in the evaluation.
… the mutual contributions of youth and adults can result in a synergy, a
new power and energy that propels decision-making groups to greater
innovation and productivity.
Z E L D I N, M CDA N I E L , TO PI T Z E S , A N D C A LV E RT ( 2 0 0 0 )

4 S E C T I O N 2 : Y O U T H – A D U LT P A R T N E R S H I P S
Adults have long recognized that young people are able-bodied implementers of community-building
frequently seen working side-by-side with adults is program implementation.
Recently, young people have become more involved in planning community-building efforts. The
widespread infusion of young people on planning boards, councils, and committees has served
to give them a greater voice in determining the direction that community-building efforts should
take.
The phase of community building in which young people tend to be least involved is evaluation.
For one reason or another, adults have continued to take the lead in the evaluation process.
Perhaps adults see evaluation as being far too complicated for young people. But research has
shown that young people rise to the challenge, growing and stretching into their new roles as
evaluators (Sabo, 2003).
As you work with the activities in this tool kit, remember to include a focus on youth involvement
in the evaluation process. You will find tips and activities for involving youth as partners
throughout the following pages.
✹
✹
✹
efforts. Consequently, the phase of community building in which young people are most
Where possible, evaluators should attempt to foster the social equity of the
evaluation, so that those who give to the evaluation can receive some
benefits in return. Evaluators should seek to ensure that those who bear
the burdens of contributing data … are doing so willingly … and
have maximum feasible opportunity to obtain benefits that may be
produced from the evaluation.
A M E R I C A N E VA LUAT I O N A S S O C I AT I O N ( 1 9 9 9 )
SUMMARY: WHY INVOLVE YOUTH
IN EVALUATION?
Respond to Youth Stakeholders: Youth are directly affected by evaluation results, and
involving them in evaluation empowers them to use their leadership skills to effect change.
Enhance Evaluation Design: As important stakeholders in programs, youth can provide valuable
input on designing youth-friendly evaluation tools.
Equalize the Power Between Youth and Adults: Programs can actively involve youth in design-ing
evaluation tools, pilot testing them, collecting data from their peers, reviewing evaluation
results, and making suggestions for modifying practices.

✹
✹
Facilitate Sound Youth Development: Youth can directly apply their leadership skills through
the process of learning to build community relationships and understanding real-world
experiences.
Promote Youth Involvement in Community Change: Youth can practice real-life community
involvement through data collection, reflection, and action.
A FRAMEWORK FOR YOUTH INVOLVEMENT
IN EVALUATION
Lofquist (1989) identified a continuum of attitudes that adults may have toward young people.
These attitudes affect the degree to which young people are involved in community-building
efforts. That continuum, as adapted by the Innovation Center for Community and Youth
Development (2001), is represented below.
Youth as Objects Adults exercise arbitrary and nearly total control over youth.
Youth as Recipients Actions of adults are based on what they believe is good for young
people.
Youth as Resources Young people provide input into decisions, but they are still primarily in
a helping role.
Youth as Partners Youth and adults equally share decision-making power and responsibility.
How do the attitudes of adults affect how young people are involved in the evaluation of
community building? The chart on page 6 identifies the role young people might play in
evaluation from each of the four perspectives. The activities on pp. 7-15 allow you to explore
how young people are involved in different ways in your own community, challenges to their full
involvement, and how you can work to increase their involvement. For more activities and tips on
youth–adult partnerships, see Youth–Adult Partnerships: A Training Manual (Innovation Center
for Community and Youth Development, 2003).

A CONTINUUM OF YOUTH INVOLVEMENT IN EVALUATION
YOUTH AS OBJECTS YOUTH AS RECIPIENTS YOUTH AS RESOURCES YOUTH AS PARTNERS
Youth are evaluation objects.
Evaluation questions are
based on adult needs for
information.
Evaluation methods are deter-mined
by adults. Activities are
performed by adults.
Adults analyze data in ways
that make sense to them.
Adults use findings for their
benefit.
Youth receive no benefit from
involvement in the process.
Youth indirectly benefit from
the findings.
Adults allow youth to
participate in selected
evaluation activities.
based on what adults
believe they need to know
to help youth.
Adults determine evaluation
methods, and they create sit-uations
in which young peo-ple
learn from involvement.
Adults determine how data will
be analyzed, and they create
situations in which young
people learn from involvement.
Adults use findings in a manner
they believe is in the best
interest of young people.
Youth receive limited benefit
from involvement in the
process.
Youth indirectly benefit from
the findings.
Adults view contributions
of youth as beneficial, but
they retain control.
developed with input from
youth.
Youth help adults decide on
evaluation methods and help
with evaluation activities.
Youth help adults decide how
data will be analyzed and help
with analysis.
Young people provide input
regarding use of the findings.
Youth receive moderate benefit
from involvement in the
process.
Youth directly benefit from
the findings.
Youth and adults share
responsibility for the
evaluation.
jointly developed by adults
and youth.
Youth and adults jointly
decide on evaluation activities.
Activities are performed by
youth and adults.
Youth and adults jointly
analyze data.
Youth and adults use findings
for their mutual benefit.
Youth receive significant
benefit from involvement in
the process.
Youth directly benefit from
the findings.
RELATIONSHIP
EVALUATION
QUESTIONS
METHODOLOGIES
ANALYSIS OF DATA
EVALUATION USE
BENEFITS

ACTIVITY: SPECTRUM OF ATTITUDES
Charting Youth Involvement
Overview
This activity “maps” the existence and nature of youth participation in the community. It can
also be a great activity to warm people up to evaluation or to provide some training in needs
assessment, data gathering and analysis.
Objectives
✶ To distinguish the various types of youth–adult relationships
✶ To identify existing areas and opportunities for youth participation in the community
Materials Needed
Flip chart
“Spectrum of Attitudes” handout, page 9
“Spectrum of Attitudes Activity” handout, page 10
“Charting Youth Involvement” handout, page 11
Pens
Markers
Time Required
Approximately 1 hour
WHAT TIME HOW MATERIAL
Step 1
15 min. ✶ Introduce the spectrum of attitudes using the
Setting
the
context
“Spectrum of Attitudes” handout or a flip chart
with key points.
✶ As you describe each relationship, ask the
group for a few examples, emphasizing the
viewing of youth as TO, FOR, FOR/WITH, and
WITH.
✶ Distribute the “Spectrum of Attitudes Activity”
handout.
✶ Ask participants, in pairs or small groups, to
identify whether youth are viewed as objects,
recipients, resources, or partners in each
example.
✶ Ask for the answers to be shared with the
total group, and discuss differences in
perception.
✶ Say to the group, “Now we are going to look at
this more closely by mapping youth involve-ment
in our own community.”
Flip chart
“Spectrum of Attitudes”
handout
Pens
Markers
“Spectrum of Attitudes
Activity” handout

Step 2
Mapping
Step 3
Sharing
Step 4
Reflection
and
discussion
20 min.
10 min.
10 min.
✶ Give everyone a copy of the handout “Charting
Youth Involvement” and go through the
instructions. It is helpful to refer to an example
that you have created.
✶ Have each person create a map of youth
involvement in the community.
If the group is small, offer each person a chance
to share his or her map with the group. If it is
large, split into smaller groups with a facilitator in
each group.
Ask the following questions:
✶ What images from the maps stand out to you?
✶ Were there any surprises for you as people
shared?
✶ What similarities did you see in people’s maps?
✶ What differences did you see?
✶ In general, how are youth involved in this
community?
✶ What opportunities for new roles for youth
exist? Where?
✶ What does this tell us about our work as a
group?
“Charting Youth
Involvement” handout
Markers
(Adapted from the Points of Light Foundation “Mapping Youth Programs for Youth Involvement” handout)

HANDOUT: SPECTRUM OF ATTITUDES
It is helpful to look at attitudes underlying youth–adult relationships along a spectrum.
ATTITUDE TYPE
Youth as Youth as Youth as Youth as
Objects Recipients Resources Partners
TO FOR WITH
Youth as Objects: Adults exercise arbitrary and near total control over youth. Programs and
activities are TO youth.
Youth as Recipients: Based on what they think is in the youth’s best interest, adults deter-mine
needs, prescribe remedies, implement solutions, and evaluate outcomes with little
youth input. Programs and activities are FOR youth.
Youth as Resources: Youth help adults in planning, implementing, and evaluating work.
Programs and activities are FOR and WITH youth.
Youth–Adult Partnerships: Youth and adults share decision-making power equally.
Programs and activities are WITH youth.
Adapted from Lofquist, W. (1989). The Technology of Prevention. Tucson, AZ: Associates for
Youth Development.

HANDOUT: SPECTRUM OF ATTITUDES ACTIVITY
Use this handout to determine whether young people are involved as Objects? (TO)
Recipients? (FOR) Resources? (FOR/WITH) Partners? (WITH) in the following examples:
__________ 1. Youth participants take a test at the completion of the program to demon-strate
that it is effective.
__________ 2. Young people and adults jointly determine what evaluation methods will be
used.
__________ 3. To help young people develop their communication skills, adults allow
young people to conduct interviews with program participants using a script
written by an adult.
__________ 4. Young people participate in focus group interviews to help adults better
understand how the program is functioning.
__________ 5. Young people review a draft of a questionnaire and make editorial
suggestions regarding how it could be written in teen-friendly language.
__________ 6. To help young people improve their computer skills, adults have them enter
survey data into a spreadsheet for analysis.
__________ 7. Young people present evaluation findings to relevant stakeholder groups,
with adults available to help, if needed.
__________ 8. Young people provide adults with suggestions regarding the evaluation
methods they feel would be appropriate.
__________ 9. Young people help adults understand and interpret comments made by
other youth.
__________ 10. Adults allow young people to distribute and collect questionnaires in their
classrooms.
__________ 11. Youth who participate in the program are randomly assigned into control
and experimental groups by adults conducting the study.
__________ 12. Young people and adults participate in a brainstorming session to identify
questions they want to see answered by the evaluation.
Answers: 1, 4, and 11 describe youth as objects.
3, 6, and 10 describe youth as recipients.
5, 8, and 9 describe youth as resources.
2, 7, and 12 describe youth as partners.
NOTE: This activity can also be conducted as a card-sort exercise. For example, you can write each item on a separate card and
distribute the cards to participants. Each person selects the appropriate category for the situation on his or her card and shares
the answer with a partner. Afterwards, participants share their answers with the total group.

HANDOUT: CHARTING YOUTH INVOLVEMENT
1. Draw a map of your connections to organizations and groups in the community. Include the
organizations and groups that you are a part of, that many youth are a part of, and that
many adults are a part of.
2. With a different color pen, highlight the points at which young people participate. Make a
note about how they participate using the following codes:
✶ P = as partners (with youth)
✶ RS = as resources (for/with youth)
✶ RC = as recipients (for youth)
✶ O = as objects (to youth)
3. With another color pen, make a star to indicate where new opportunities exist for youth to
participate.

ACTIVITY: STAGES OF YOUTH–ADULT PARTNERSHIPS
Objective
To gather information from participants about what they think are the knowledge and skills
needed to start, sustain, and advocate for youth–adult partnerships
Materials Needed
Three flip charts with questions from below
Markers
Tape
Time Required
Approximately 45 minutes
Step 1
Setting
the
context
Step 2
Stating
the
questions
Step 3
Clarifying
2 min.
5 min.
10 min.
Remind the group that everyone has various lev-els
of experience with youth–adult partnerships.
You could say, “As I look around the room, I can
only imagine the variety of experiences each of us
has had working in partnerships during our life-time.
This exercise has been created to help us
share our knowledge and skills as we develop our
work in youth–adult partnerships. Different skills,
knowledge, and experiences are needed for differ-ent
stages of youth–adult partnerships.”
Refer to three flip charts.
✶ First Chart: What are the skills/knowledge/
attitudes needed to start a youth–adult
partnership?
✶ Second Chart: What are the
skills/knowledge/attitudes needed to sustain a
youth–adult partnership?
✶ Third Chart: What are the skills/knowledge/
attitudes needed to advocate for youth–adult
partnerships?
Ask the group to read the questions and re-state
them in their own words so that everyone is clear
about what is meant. Ask the group for one or
two ideas for each flip chart.
Flip charts
Tape

Step 4
Brain-storming
Step 5
Reflection
and
discussion
20 min.
10 min.
Divide the participants into three groups, and
assign each group to one flip chart. Ask each
group to do a quick, yet thorough, brainstorm and
to record every idea presented in the group on the
flip chart. Encourage them to consider drawings
or other creative ways to document their answers.
After 5 minutes, ask a member from each group
to post its flip chart in the front of the room and
take turns presenting the groups’ ideas.
Process the activity in the large group using the
following questions:
✶ What ideas stand out for you?
✶ What ideas are familiar?
✶ What ideas are new to you?
✶ What ideas are similar across the three stages?
✶ What is missing from our lists?
✶ How can these ideas help you start a
youth–adult partnership? Sustain one?
Advocate for a partnership?
Markers

ACTIVITY: IDENTIFYING BARRIERS TO
EFFECTIVE PARTNERSHIPS
Objective
To explore and name the potential barriers to working in partnership with young people
Time
Materials
Flip chart
Markers
Tape
Step 1
Setting
the
context
Step 2
Stating
questions
5 min.
5 min.
If we can all agree on the benefits of having youth
as full partners in the work that we do and
in our communities, then what blocks us from
achieving that goal? Have the group think about
and discuss the real and perceived barriers to
having effective and successful youth–adult
partnerships.
Divide the participants into several small groups
(six groups would be ideal). Ask each group to
stand at one of the following six stations, desig-nated
by the following six questions, written on
sheets of flip chart paper prepared earlier.
✶ How do adults view young people?
✶ How do young people view adults?
✶ What behaviors have you experienced in inter-generational
meetings that would not be helpful
in building healthy partnerships?
✶ What behaviors have you seen that help build
healthy partnerships?
✶ What blocks us from building effective working
relationships between youth and adults?
✶ How can we ensure that barriers to building
effective partnerships are minimized or
eliminated?
Flip charts
Markers
Tape

Step 3
Rotating
Step 4
Reviewing
Step 5
Reflection
and
discussion
20 min.
10 min.
10 min.
Explain that each group will have 2 minutes to
brainstorm answers to the questions posted on
the flip chart paper. Encourage groups to write
down all answers, big or small. After 2 minutes,
ask the groups to rotate to the next station.
Rotation occurs until all groups have had the
opportunity to answer each question.
Ask the group to walk around the room to review
each station, then ask the participants to
reassemble as a large group.
Process the activity in the large group using the
following questions:
✶ What words or phrases caught your attention?
✶ What discussions did groups have as they
rotated around the room?
✶ What gaps exist?
✶ What new ideas did you see?
✶ What concerns do you have?
✶ What would you say about the information to
someone who is not here?
✶ What can you do over the next 2 weeks to
begin to address a block or barrier?
Markers

16

S E C T I O N 3 : I N T R O D U C T I O N TO E V A L U A T I O N 17
Introduction to
Evaluation
Why Evaluate?
as a whole. When you evaluate a person’s performance, you try to find out how well he or she
carries out his or her responsibilities. When you evaluate a program, you want to know how far
the program went in achieving its goals and objectives. And when you evaluate an organization,
you ask how well it operates to achieve its organizational mission. Evaluation involves collecting
information that helps you make these judgments fairly.
This tool kit focuses on program evaluation. Why is program evaluation so important?
Benefits of Evaluation
Improve the program: Identify strengths and weaknesses of program activities.
✹✹
Build organizational capacity: Improve the ability to plan and implement programs. Document
progress toward meeting program goals.
✹
To evaluate something means literally to look at it and judge its quality or value. An
organization might evaluate individual employees, its programs, and/or the organization
Inform and refine community change efforts: Identify unmet community needs and assess the
impact of social change efforts.

18 S E C T I O N 3 : I N T R O D U C T I O N TO E V A L U A T I O N
✹
✹
Enhance personal growth and development among staff and participants: Provide feedback to
staff and participants about their work. Recognize accomplishments and provide suggestions for
improvement.
Provide evidence of program accomplishments: Report to boards, community members, and
funders about program effectiveness.
Baseline Data for Evaluation
In order to experience the benefits of your evaluation work, it must be clear where the people
and programs involved were before taking part in your organization’s activities; that is, you must
have a baseline from which to measure progress as you carry out your evaluation.
To understand what your program achieves, you have to know where you began.
Baseline questions might include the following:
✶ How serious is a particular problem or need among participants who will be a part of your
program?
✶ What behaviors, interests, or skills do the participants have at the start of the program?
The amount of baseline information you collect will depend on your level of resources. For
example, you may be limited to asking participants about their attitudes or behaviors. Or you
may have the resources to gain a fuller picture by also asking parents and teachers about
participants’ needs, interests, and skills. Data collected for needs assessment purposes may
also be used as baseline data.
Collecting this information allows you to find out how well the program achieved what it set out
to do. Has a person’s skill level increased because of the program? What parts of the program
appear to have contributed most (or least) to the participants’ success? If you did not achieve
what you intended, how do you account for the outcome? What should you do differently next
time?
Simply put, the idea is to identify participant skills, behaviors, and attitudes before the program
begins in order to compare this baseline information with the same skills, behaviors, and
attitudes after the program is finished.

S E C T I O N 3 : I N T R O D U C T I O N TO E V A L U A T I O N 19
WHY EVALUATE?
✶ What gets measures gets done.
✶ If you don’t measure results, you can’t tell success from failure.
✶ If you can’t see success, you can’t reward it.
✶ If you can’t reward success, you’re probably rewarding failure.
✶ If you can’t see success, you can’t learn from it.
✶ If you can’t recognize failure, you can’t learn from it.
✶ If you can demostrate results, you can win public support.
Adapted from Osborne, D and T. Gaebler. (1992). In Patton, M. Q. (1997). Utilization-Focused
Evaluation. (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

20

S E C T I O N 4 : S E T T I N G T H E S T A G E F O R E V A L U A T I O N 2 1
Setting the Stage
for Evaluation
Before you develop a plan for your evaluation process, it is important to take a look at
your organization’s mission and goals and construct a theory of change that will describe
the results toward which you are working.
Mission and Goals
The first step in setting the stage for your evaluation is to review your organization’s mission and
goals and reflect on how well they represent your work. Your activities and outcomes should map
back to that mission.

22 S E C T I O N 4 : S E T T I N G T H E S T A G E F O R E V A L U A T I O N
ACTIVITY: REVISITING MISSION AND GOALS
Objective
To verify that an organization’s activities and outcomes are in line with its stated mission and
goals
Materials Needed
Half sheets of paper
Pens
Markers
Tape
Copies of mission and goals (If the organization does not have goals or a mission statement,
try to find something that is a directional statement, with objectives or strategies that are
generally accepted within the agency. If nothing like this is available, postpone this activity
until these can be developed.)
Time Required
Step 1
Introduction
Step 2
Examining
the mission
and goals
10 min.
15 min.
✶ Distribute copies of mission and goals. Review
these to determine whether the participants
have any questions or concerns about the
content.
✶ Divide a section of the wall into three columns,
using these headings:
– Mission and Goals (in this column, use the
following subcategories, starting at the top
and moving down: Mission, Goal 1, Goal 2,
etc.)
– Program Activities
– Changes in Youth Behavior
✶ Ask participants to each jot down, on half
sheets of paper, three key words from their
mission statement and goals that most
accurately reflect their work today.
✶ Have them place the half sheets in the
appropriate place under Mission and Goals
section on the wall.
✶ Discuss questions such as these:
– How well do the mission and goals represent
your actual work?
– Do the mission and goals articulate the
outcomes that you hope to achieve?
Copies of mission and
goals
Markers
Half sheets
Tape

S E C T I O N 4 : S E T T I N G T H E S T A G E F O R E V A L U A T I O N 23
Step 3
Determining
how program
activities
tie to the
mission and
goals
Step 4
Tracking
mission
and goals
through to
behavior
change
Step 5
Reflection
and
discussion
15 min.
15 min.
5 min.
✶ Have participants, working in small groups,
write on half sheets any actual program activi-ties
they can think of that reflect the mission
and goals (one activity per sheet).
✶ Ask a representative from each group to place
these in the “Program Activities” row, across
from the related mission piece or goal
statement.
✶ Ask the following:
– To what extent are your program activities
reflective of your mission and goals?
– Using a specific example from the wall, can
you track a specific activity back to a goal
and a piece of the mission statement?
✶ Ask participants, still working in small groups,
to write on blank half sheets (one idea per
sheet) the places and ways in which youth have
been involved in various activities.
✶ After these have been posted, repeat the
process to post changes they have seen in
youth (i.e., youth outcomes) as a result of their
participation in various program activities.
✶ Discuss the following questions:
– Are the changes you see in youth consistent
with the goals outlined in your mission?
– How well do your mission and goals map to
your activities and youth outcomes?
Process this activity with the full group, using
such questions as these:
✶ What piece of information on the wall stood
out for you?
✶ What lessons can you take from this
exercise?
✶ Were there any surprises for you?
✶ How can you use this information in your
organization in the near future?
Half sheets
Markers
Tape
Half sheets
Markers
Tape
One major key to successful evaluation planning is the use of logic modeling to help organizations
become more purposeful in their work. As you revisit your mission and goals, you will probably
discover that your actions and activities have been somewhat random. However, if you make an
effort to build a logic model for each program thrust, priority, or goal area, you are likely to be
better focused on achieving success in all areas of your work.
As you move on to the development of a logic model in the next section of this book, you will
look more closely at activities that are planned or are currently in progress and at the anticipated
results of these activities. It is important that you maintain only those activities that help move
the organization toward the fulfillment of its mission and goals. You now have the information
with which to make that judgment.

CONSTRUCTING A THEORY OF CHANGE
Successful community-building efforts produce significant and lasting changes in people and the
places they live. Such change typically begins with a group of people participating in a dialogue
on the future of its community. Such dialogue leads to purposeful actions organized in a manner
that results in valued outcomes for a community and its people. The understanding we have
about how such actions go about producing the outcomes we desire is called a theory of change.
In short, a theory of change explains why the things we do should produce the results we intend.
Seldom, though, can a theory of change be expressed as a simple two-element relationship
between our activities and desired outcomes. More often, program theory is expressed as a chain
of “if–then” relationships somewhat analogous to a chain of dominos standing on end. When one
domino falls, it causes the next to fall, and so on.
if if
A B C
then then
For example, if adults change their opinions regarding the value of young people on boards and
committees, then one would expect that youth representation on such boards and committees
would increase over time. Subsequently, if more young people are appointed to boards and
committees, then community decision making should more inclusively reflect the wishes and
desires of the community’s young people.
Underlying the series of if–then relationships are a number of assumptions, or beliefs, about
the program and how it will work and what it will achieve. It is often assumed that a program
is linked to improvement in participant or client well-being and that the program will have the
necessary time, money, and expertise to achieve its goals. Because individual participants’
assumptions may vary, developing a group theory of change and a group action plan can bring
the differences to light. Group discussion can clarify expectations.
When developing a theory of change, think about the underlying assumptions. Are they realistic
and sound? What evidence or research do you have to support your assumptions?
Many theories of change are implicit. In other words, they exist only in the minds of the people
involved in the change effort. It is quite possible that each person involved in a community-building
effort is operating from a different theory of change. Consequently, everyone may have a
different view of how the change effort should unfold. Conflicting theories of change can lead to

frustration within a group. One way to avoid such problems is to involve the group in construct-ing
a logic model for the community-building effort (Rennekamp and Jacobs, 2004). Additional
information about theories of change, including an activity to use with your group to help
construct a theory of change, can be found in Building Community: A Toolkit on Youth and Adults
in Charting Assets and Creating Change (Innovation Center for Community and Youth
Development, 2001).
WHAT IS A LOGIC MODEL?
Simply stated, a logic model is a graphic depiction of a theory of change. A logic model helps
make the theory of change behind a community-building effort explicit, or clear in meaning,
rather than implicit. When the logic model is developed by a group, rather than an individual,
it represents a shared understanding of a theory of change.
Tips for Involving Youth as Partners
Each member of a community-building team has his or her own mental image of how and
why a particular community-building effort functions. Only through a facilitated process can
these multiple images be fashioned into a shared theory of change. Involving youth as part-ners
in the evaluation of community building begins with ensuring that young people are a
part of the team that develops the logic model for the effort. It is important that the
community-building team include roughly equal numbers of youth and adults. Also make
sure that committees and discussion groups contain both youth and adult members.
Logic models specify the activities and events that ultimately lead to your desired outcomes.
Some logic models are simple linear chains. Others are more complex and systems oriented.
Although no prescribed formula exists for how a finished model should look, the benefits of
using logic models in program development are clear and compelling.
The W. K. Kellogg Foundation (2000) cites several benefits of using logic models. First, the
process of building a logic model can serve as the action-planning phase of a community-building
effort. Once developed, a logic model functions as a blueprint for implementation.
Second, a logic model can help us communicate our plans to others who may be contemplating
an initial or continuing investment in our community-building efforts. Perhaps most important,
a logic model can serve as a framework for evaluation by identifying milestones at which
evaluation activities should occur.

Because the process of building a logic model can serve as the action-planning phase of a
community-building effort, if your group is currently planning a community-building effort, you
are strongly encouraged to develop a logic model at this time.
Even if you are well into the implementation phases of your community-building effort, it is still
beneficial to develop a logic model. Because logic models specify the outcomes you aim to
produce through your community-building activities, they serve as an excellent tool for initiating
discussions about evaluation. A logic model can also serve as a diagnostic tool to help figure out
why a community-building effort may not be working as planned.
Be aware, however, that the process used to develop a logic model for an existing community-building
effort is somewhat different from the process used to design a new model in response
to an identified community priority. This section addresses some of those differences on pp. 28–29.
Why Use a Logic Model?
Why should you develop and use a logic model? How will it help you?
Logic models
✶ bring detail to broad goals, including planning, evaluation, implementation, and
communications;
✶ help identify gaps in program logic and clarify assumptions, thereby making success more
likely;
✶ build understanding and promote consensus about what the program is and how it will work;
✶ build buy-in and teamwork;
✶ make underlying beliefs explicit;
✶ help clarify what is appropriate to evaluate—and when—so that evaluation resources are used
wisely; and
✶ summarize complex programs to communicate with stakeholders, funders, and audiences.
Logic models also enable effective competition for resources. Many funders, for example, require
logic models in their grant requests.
BASIC ELEMENTS OF LOGIC MODELS
Inputs are the resources needed to support a community-building effort. Inputs include such
things as time, money, paid staff, volunteers, materials, facilities, and equipment. Inputs are the
costs of implementing a community-building effort. They include all kinds of resources in support
of the project, whether human, material, or financial.

Outputs are the actions of the group that are seen as being instrumental in producing community
change. These actions are usually conducted for or with a particular audience.
Outcomes are conditions produced by a community-building effort. Many people view outcomes
as synonymous with results.
Inputs
resources
Outputs
actions
Outcomes
results
More About Outputs
Outputs include an array of activities that are seen as instrumental in producing the outcomes
desired. Outputs can include such things as media campaigns, camps, retreats, recreation pro-grams,
workshops, seminars, and a host of other community learning opportunities. They also
include services provided to others by the community-building team. What each team chooses to
do depends on what it wants to accomplish.
Frequently implied, but seldom articulated, is the notion that activities are conducted for or with
a particular audience. Media campaigns frequently focus on changing the opinions of a particular
segment of the population. Learning opportunities are designed with the needs of a particular
group of learners in mind. Services are provided to a particular group of people.
Consequently, the process of developing a logic model frequently involves specifying both the
activities undertaken by the group and the audience with which the activity is conducted.
Inputs
resources
Outputs
actions
Outcomes
Actions Audience
results

More About Outcomes
Not all outcomes are created equal. Accordingly, the United Way of America (1996) has developed
a framework for thinking about outcomes, as depicted in the following diagram.
Inputs
resources
Outputs
actions
Initial
Outcomes
Outcomes
results
Intermediate
Outcomes
Long-Term
Outcomes
The framework suggests that initial outcomes are the first benefits or changes that a community-building
effort produces. Initial outcomes are frequently characterized as the learning that occurs
within a target population; consequently, they include such things as knowledge gain, expanded
awareness of an issue, acquisition of new skills, and changes of opinion.
Intermediate outcomes are often characterized as changes in behavior or actions that are
produced as a result of the initial outcomes (i.e., as a result of the lessons learned). Intermediate
outcomes can include policy changes or social action. Intermediate outcomes link initial
outcomes to more distant long-term outcomes.
Long-term outcomes tend to consist of the ultimate benefits that a community-building effort
aims to bring about. Long-term outcomes are often characterized as changes in social, economic,
or environmental conditions that are brought about by changed behaviors, policies, or social
actions.
CREATING A LOGIC MODEL: WHERE TO START?
There is no single or best way to create a logic model. How you create your model depends on
the developmental stage of the program or community-building effort you are working with.
For Existing Programs: Move from Left to Right, Asking “Why?”
✶ You might start at the left-hand side of the logic model diagram and ask, “What resources
(inputs) are we using to make this program happen?”
✶ Moving to the right, ask, “What activities (outputs) are we carrying out?”
✶ “Who makes up our audience (outputs) participating in these events?”
✶ “What do we want our participant(s) to learn (immediate outcomes)?”

✶ “What behaviors or actions (intermediate outcomes) are we looking for as a result of that
learning?”
✶ “What ultimate benefits (long-term outcomes) do we hope for as a result of these behaviors?”
You can simply ask the question “Why?” as you move across the model. “Why are we investing
these resources?” (Answer: So we can conduct x number of training sessions with x number of
participants). “Why do we hold these training sessions?” (Answer: So our audience will learn
relevant skills, knowledge, and attitudes ). Ask and answer the questions until the logic model
is completed.
For New Programs: Move from Right to Left, asking “What?” and “How?”
If you are in the planning stage of a new program, you might start with the long-term expected
end result—the impact—and work backward. “What is our desired long-term outcome? What
specific behaviors or actions will help us move toward that outcome? What lessons must be
acquired to achieve these actions?” Keep moving from right to left.
You can also move across the model from right to left asking “How?” For example, you can ask,
“How can we achieve this desired long-term outcome? How can we ensure that people will have
the necessary lessons to carry out these actions?”
Remember, there is no single starting or ending point. A logic model is dynamic. It will
change as the program changes. Much of the value of the logic model lies in the process of
creating it, checking it, and modifying it while bringing all key stakeholders to a shared
understanding of what the program is and what it will do.

ACTIVITY: LOGIC MODELING
Overview
This activity is designed to help youth and adults jointly develop a logic model of their community-building
effort. The result is a document that depicts a shared understanding of how their work
will produce the outcomes they desire.
This activity is best done in the planning phase of the community-building effort. The logic model
that results then becomes the blueprint for achieving the group’s vision. It also identifies key
milestones at which evaluation activity should occur and helps the group plan for evaluation
from the outset.
This activity is written specifically for groups designing a new community-building effort. It
encourages the group to begin with the end results in mind. Accordingly, the activity begins with
the specification of the long-term outcomes that the group is working toward. These long-term
outcomes may have already been identified through a community visioning exercise or similar
activity. The team then identifies the intermediate and initial outcomes that are precursors to
achieving the long-term outcomes. Only then does the group engage in a discussion about
strategies for achieving the outcomes and the resources needed to support its efforts.
For groups designing new community-building efforts, the activity can be conducted as written.
However, groups wishing to develop a logic model for an existing community-building effort may
want to change the order in which major elements of the logic model are identified. For example,
in an existing effort, members of the community-building team may be familiar with what the
group does and how it functions, but participants may have less clarity about what the group is
trying to accomplish in terms of initial, intermediate, or long-term outcomes. In such cases, it
may be beneficial to begin by identifying what resources the group consumes (inputs) and what
the groups does (outputs) before initiating discussions about outcomes.
A logic model for an existing community-building effort depicts relationships between events
and occurrences that have already happened. But the manner in which adults and young
people experience these events and occurrences may be somewhat different. It is possible
they did not even experience the same things. Consequently, it is not at all unusual for adults
and youth to have very different perceptions of the community-building effort and what it is
accomplishing. When building logic models for existing efforts, listen carefully for differing
interpretations of what is happening. Explore differing perceptions to assure the logic model
is not biased toward adults or program authorities.

ACTIVITY: LOGIC MODELING
Feel free to adapt this activity to your specific needs.
Objective
To build a logic model for a community-building effort that reflects a shared understanding of
how actions of the group lead to desired outcomes
Materials Needed
Photocopies of preceding pages on logic modeling
Flip chart paper
Markers
Tape
Spray adhesive
“Community-Building Logic Model” template, page 34
Time Required
Approximately 2 hours
Step 1
10 min. ✶ Briefly summarize the content from the previous
Setting
pages on logic models, discussing the impor-tance
the
of a theory of change and the basic
context
elements of a logic model.
✶ Then say to the group, “Today we are going to
develop a picture of how our community-building
process is to operate. We are going
to show how the actions we take within the
community produce the results we desire. What
we produce today will be a draft version of our
logic model. But a part of the task will also be
to identify a team that will further refine what
we do today.”
Handouts of the
previous pages. Make
enough copies so that
each participant can
have a copy.

Step 2
Articulating
the vision
Step 3
Identifying
intermediate
outcomes
20 min.
20 min.
✶ At the top of a sheet of flip chart paper, write
the words “Long-Term Outcomes.” (If you
are building a logic model for an existing
community-building effort, you may choose to
start with Step 5.)
✶ Place the sheet of flip chart paper on the wall.
✶ Say to the group, “We are going to begin by
identifying what we want to see happen as a
result of our efforts. We are going to identify
the desired outcomes of the community-building
effort. We will begin with identifying
the long-term outcomes of our work. The long-term
outcomes should be statements that rep-resent
the vision we have for the community—
that is, the conditions which will exist as a
result of our work.”
✶ Distribute the half sheets of paper and markers.
Have each person identify two or three long-term
outcomes of the community-building
effort. Have them write each outcome on a
separate half-sheet of paper.
✶ Collect all the half sheets, read them aloud to
the group, and affix them to the flip chart paper.
(For best results, spray the flip chart paper with
adhesive prior to the activity.)
✶ Work with the group to group similar ideas in
pairs or clusters. When the group has completed
its work, go on to identifying intermediate
outcomes.
✶ At the top of a sheet of flip chart paper write
the words “Intermediate Outcomes.” Place the
sheet of paper on the wall to the left of the
previous one.
✶ Say to the group, “We are now going to identify
the intermediate outcomes for our community-building
effort. Intermediate outcomes are
typically those things that people must do
differently if the long-term outcomes we just
identified are to be achieved. Intermediate
outcomes include changes in policies,
procedures, behaviors, actions, or practices.”
✶ Repeat the process described above in Step 2:
Cluster similar responses, then ask whether any
items, pairs, or clusters previously identified as
long-term outcomes now look more like inter-mediate
outcomes.
Flip chart paper
Markers
Tape
Spray adhesive
Flip chart paper
Markers
Tape
Half sheets
Spray adhesive

Step 4
|dentifying
initial
outcomes
Step 5
Identifying
actions
Step 6
Identifying
inputs
Step 7
Review
and refine
20 min.
20 min.
20 min.
10 min.
the words “Initial Outcomes.” Place the sheet of
paper on the wall to the left of the previous
one.
the initial outcomes for our community-building
effort. Initial outcomes are typically represented
by increased awareness of an issue or changes
in knowledge, attitudes, skills, or intentions.”
✶ Repeat the process described above.
the words “Outputs or Activities.” Place the
sheet of flip chart paper on the wall to the left
of the previous one.
the outputs or activities for our community-building
effort. These are the activities we will
carry out to produce the outcomes we have
identified. For each of these, please also identify
the audience for or with which the activity is
undertaken.”
✶ Repeat the process described above.
the words “Inputs or Resources.” Place the
sheet of flip chart paper on the wall to the left
of the previous one.
the inputs or resources needed to support
our activities. These typically include money,
staff, volunteers, facilities, and the efforts of
partners.”
✶ Repeat the process to identify resources needed.
✶ Ask the group to review what it has created.
Then ask the following questions, pausing after
each one for discussion:
– Looking at our work, what stands out to you?
– How are the various elements related?
– Do some sections seem more difficult than
others?
– How can we use this in our evaluation
efforts?
✶ Be sure to mention, “The planning of our
community-building effort has unfolded from
right to left as we have moved across the wall.
We started with the end results in mind. Now,
how will the actual events unfold as we move
into the implementation stage?”
✶ Then secure volunteers to further refine the
logic model using the “Community-Building
Logic Model” template.
Flip chart paper
Markers
Tape
Half sheets
Spray adhesive
Flip chart paper
Markers
Tape
Half sheets
Spray adhesive
Flip chart paper
Markers
Tape
Half sheets
Spray adhesive
“Community-Building
Logic Model” template

TEMPLATE: COMMUNITY-BUILDING LOGIC MODEL
Conditions that change
as a result of behaviors
Behaviors that result
from learning
Learning that results
from involvement
Individuals or groups for
whom actions are
intended
Actions supported by
resources invested
Resources deployed to
address situation
INPUTS Actions Audience Initial Intermediate Long-Term
OUTPUTS OUTCOMES

Example: Outcomes-Based Logic Model
Young Women’s Project Theory of Change
Outcomes
✶ Knowledge, skill, attitude change (100 teens)
✶ Teens use counseling and social service resource referrals (25 teens)
✶ Teens use peer support circles and network (100 teens)
✶ School and community impact through project implementation
Outputs
✶ Curriculum and lesson plans: advocacy, reproductive health, mental health,
violence against women, needs assessment, project development
✶ Materials and worksheets
✶ Training of trainers on popular education, working with teens, evaluation,
social justice
✶ Social service materials
Activities
✶ Training in self-advocacy, reproductive health, mental health, violence against
women, needs assessment, project development
✶ Individual counseling and interventions
✶ Resource service referrals
Inputs
✶ Staff (well-trained and supported)
✶ School personnel to help with recruitment
✶ School facilities (room to meet in)
✶ Youth Women’s Project facilities (computers, space, supplies), food, gifts,
money for stipends
LIMITATIONS OF LOGIC MODELS
Logic models are helpful and sound tools to use as a basis for planning and evaluation activities,
but they have some limitations that should be made known to participants in the process:
✶ Logic models only represent reality; they are not reality.
– Programs are not linear.
– Programs are dynamic interrelationships that rarely follow sequential order.
✶ Logic models focus on expected outcomes—you also need to pay attention to unintended or
unexpected outcomes: positive, negative, and neutral.

✶ Outcomes cannot always be attributed to items listed in the logic model.
– The program is likely to be just one of many factors influencing outcomes.
– Consider other factors that may be affecting observed outcomes.
– There is no “proof” that the program caused the outcome.
✶ Logic models do not address the questions:
– Are we doing the right thing?
– Should we have this program at all?
CHECKING THE LOGIC MODEL
✶ Are the outcomes really outcomes?
✶ Is the longest term outcome
– meaningful?
– logical?
– realistic?
✶ Do the activities/outputs realistically lead to outcomes?
✶ Do we have the resources needed for the activities?
✶ Does the logic model represent the program’s purpose?
✶ Does it respond to the situation?
✶ How will the context of the program and community affect the resources, outputs and
outcomes?
USING LOGIC MODELS TO FRAME EVALUATION
Logic models guide evaluation by
✶ Answering a variety of questions about the program, such as:
– How many youth did we reach in our community-organizing effort?
– What activities best help youth learn about social change work?
– What skills are youth learning in our programs?
✶ Generating evaluation questions about context, implementation, and outcomes:
– Context: What community factors contributed to successful youth organizing?
– Implementation: How are adult staff involved in community work?
– Outcomes: What have we learned about our work in the community?
Now it is time to move on to the development of the evaluation plan.

S E C T I O N 5 : D E V E L O P I N G A N D I M P L E M E N T I N G A N E V A L U A T I O N P L A N 37
Developing and
Implementing an
Evaluation Plan
Evaluation has been described as a systematic process for judging the value or worth of
contains a data collection plan, resources for evaluation, evaluation goals, evaluation questions,
and a timeline. It also identifies who is involved in the evaluation. A good plan reflects your
organization’s values, mission, and goals.
Developing an evaluation plan involves these basic steps:
✹
✹
✹
✹
something (Worthen, Sanders, and Fitzpatrick, 1997). That systematic process begins with
a clear evaluation plan, which is a “road map” for your evaluation. The evaluation plan
Take stock of resources available for evaluation: Determine the scale of the evaluation, set
aside appropriate funds for self-evaluation efforts, and factor in volunteers and in-kind services.
Identify stakeholders and their information needs: A stakeholder can be defined as anyone
who has a stake or interest in your community-building effort. In this step, the community-building
team identifies the information needs of various stakeholders.
Establish evaluation goals/purpose with organizational values in mind: Common goals
may include testing program effectiveness, making the case for changing program practices, or
justifying continued funding.
Develop evaluation questions: In this step, the community-building team revisits the
community-building logic model and develops evaluation questions in light of stakeholder needs
for information.

38 S E C T I O N 5 : D E V E L O P I N G A N D I M P L E M E N T I N G A N E V A L U A T I O N P L A N
✹
✹
✹
Identify indicators and standards: Indicators are the specific pieces of information that
provide you with answers to your evaluation questions. It is also important to identify the level of
an indicator that represents “goodness.”
Review existing data sources and select evaluation methods: Evaluation data can be
collected using a number of methods. In this step, decisions are made about the methods most
appropriate for your evaluation project.
Develop an evaluation timeline: The process of developing an evaluation timeline involves
specifying the points in time when measurements will be taken. Measurements can be taken
before, during, and after a community-building effort.
The sections that follow provide detailed explanations of each of these steps. But before
developing an evaluation plan for your particular project, it can be helpful to lead the group
through the following “warm-up” activity.

ACTIVITY: WARM-UP
Overview
This participatory activity illustrates the basic principles of evaluation.
Objective
To create an understanding of the importance of evaluation questions in focusing an
evaluation
Materials Needed
“Evaluation” worksheet, page 41
Pens
Three different brands of chocolate chip cookies, enough for each participant to have one
cookie of each brand
Time Required
Step 1
Setting
the
context
Step 2
Establish-ing
criteria
Step 3
Gathering
evidence
2 min.
5 min.
10 min.
Say to the group, “You are about to conduct an
evaluation activity. The subject of the evaluation
will be chocolate chip cookies. During this activity,
we are going to develop evaluation questions,
gather evidence from the samples provided,
and determine which samples best meet our
expectations.”
Give each person a copy of the “Evaluation” work-sheet
on the following page. Say, “First, I want
you to think about the information you need to
make an informed decision about which brand of
cookie to buy. What questions would you want
answered before you bought a particular brand of
cookie? Write those questions in the left column
of the worksheet. You will use the same questions
as a guide for evaluating each cookie.”
Have each person come forward and get one
cookie of each brand. Say, “Use whatever
methods you choose to gather evidence that helps
you answer each of the evaluation questions you
have identified. Record your findings in the
second column of the worksheet.”
“Evaluation” worksheet
Pens
Three different brands
of chocolate chip
cookies

Step 4
Judgment
Step 5
Sharing
Step 6
Reflection
and
discussion
5 min.
5 min.
13 min.
Say, “Now use the evidence you obtained to rate
each cookie on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the
highest.”
Now tell the participants to form groups of three
and share their evaluation questions, methods of
gathering evidence, and their judgments about the
cookies.
Lead a full-group discussion: Read each of the
following questions to the group, allowing for
responses after each one:
✶ What are some of the evaluation questions you
identified?
✶ Why did people develop different evaluation
questions?
✶ Did any of you have particular standards or
expectations that the cookie must meet, such
as a particular number of chocolate chips?
✶ What methods did people use to gather data
about their cookies?
✶ What judgments did you make about the
cookies?
✶ How might the selection of evaluation
questions affect one’s judgments about which
cookie to buy?
✶ In what ways is this like evaluating community
building?
✶ In what ways is it different?
Adapted from Preskill, H., and D. Russ-Eft. (2005). Building Evaluation Capacity: 72 Activities for Teaching and Training. Thousand
Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, www.sagepub.com.

WORKSHEET: COOKIE EVALUATION
Brand of Cookie __________________________________________________
Questions Data or Findings Method Rating
Final Rating or Score
Brand of Cookie __________________________________________________
Brand of Cookie __________________________________________________

TAKING STOCK OF RESOURCES
Before you start taking any action to implement an evaluation in your organization, it is
important to take stock of the resources that you have to do the job. This includes all sorts
of resources available to you—financial, material, human, in-kind, etc.
First, determine the scale of the evaluation. How many programs will you be evaluating? What
time frame will you be evaluating? From whom will you need to gather information? Generally,
the larger the scope of the evaluation, the greater the resources you will need.
Next, look at the resources that exist:
✶ What funds are available for the evaluation process? How much staff time will be needed?
What supplies or other equipment will you need?
✶ Take stock of the volunteer time that will be available to you, and look at other in-kind services
that you might take advantage of during this activity.
✶ In a self-evaluation, consider the costs for the design, data collection, analysis, and reporting
phases of the process. Are there partners or other organizations that can be helpful to you?

ACTIVITY: TAKING STOCK OF RESOURCES
Objective
To identify existing resources within the community that would be helpful in the evaluation
process
Materials Needed
Flip chart
Markers
List of steps in evaluation plan
“Resources to Leverage for Your Evaluation” handout, page 44
Time Required
50 minutes
Step 1
Review of
steps in
evaluation
Step 2
Brainstorm
resources
Step 3
Share
Step 4
Reflect
and
discussion
10 min.
15 min.
15 min.
10 min.
✶ Describe the evaluation process and post a list
of the steps.
✶ Explain to the group that the first step in devel-oping
an evaluation plan is to take stock of
resources available in the community.
Ask participants to break into small groups and
answer the following question: “What resources in
your local area can be leveraged to support your
evaluation?”
✶ Have each group report out; solicit any addi-tional
ideas group members may have.
✶ Distribute “Resources to Leverage for Your
Evaluation” handout.
Help the group reflect on the activity, posing
questions:
✶ What resources struck you as the most
important to our evaluation process? Most
interesting? Most surprising?
✶ Which were easy to come up with?
✶ Which were the hardest?
✶ What was your favorite part of this activity?
✶ How can we use this list of resources as we
plan our evaluation?
List of steps in the
evaluation plan, see
pp. 37-38
Flip chart
Paper
Markers
“Resources to Leverage
for Your Evaluation”
handout

HANDOUT: RESOURCES TO LEVERAGE FOR YOUR
EVALUATION
RESOURCES WEBSITE NOTES
Americans for the Arts
Data Center
Youth Strategy Center
Department of Education
Full Circle Fund
Innovation Center for
Community and Youth
Development
Leadership Learning
Community
Life Effectiveness
Questionnaire (LEQ)
Open Society Institute
Planning and Evaluation
Resource Center (PERC)
RMC Research Corporation
Social Policy Research
Associates (SPR)
Taproot Group
W. K. Kellogg Foundation
Youth in Focus
Points of Light Youth
Leadership Institute
www.americansforthearts.org
www.datacenter.org
www.datacenter.org/programs/youth.htm
www.ed.gov
www.fullcirclefund.org
www.theinnovationcenter.org
www.leadershiplearning.org
www.wilderdom.com/leq.html
www.soros.org
www.evaluationtools.org
www.rmcdenver.com/resources.htm
www.spra.com
www.taprootfoundation.org
www.wkkf.org
www.youthinfocus.net
www.pyli.org
Free tool kit on evaluation.
Free resources on research,
particularly research planning
and design
A good resource for educational
information—particularly statistics
Provides grants and technical
assistance (TA) and connects
business leaders
Provides resources, technical
assistance, and training on
evaluation and youth–adult
partnerships
Provides resources on evaluation of
leadership development programs
Research tool on measuring
personal change
Focuses on youth media and crime
Clearinghouse and tutorial on
evaluation and planning
Maintains Compendium of
Assessment and Research Tools
(CART), a database of survey
tools
Provides training and technical
assistance on evaluation;
conducts large and small-scale
research projects
Donates time to nonprofits
Has an evaluation tool kit
available
Developed and field-tested the
Youth-led Research, Evaluation
and Planning (Youth REP)
method
Training, curricula and resources
on youth leadership

More Ideas For Discovering Local Area Resources
Local Area Colleges and Universities: Colleges and universities in your area will probably have
resources that you can use for research. Their resources may include anything from faculty
expertise to students looking for research opportunities in the form of an internship. By contact-ing
the departments appropriate to your research at local colleges or universities, you can also
discover other resources in your community.
Small Business Feasibility Studies: As part of their feasibility studies, new businesses in your
local area may have conducted community surveys that you could use as a resource for your data
collection.
CHECKLIST: DEVELOPING AN
EVALUATION PLAN
Take stock of your current situation. Individual members of the evaluation team can complete the
checklist, and their responses can be discussed as a group. Refer back to these responses as
your evaluation plan progresses.
YES NO
Stakeholder and Youth Involvement
Do we make intentional efforts to involve relevant stakeholders?
Have we identified ways to involve all stakeholders in the evaluation?
Do we actively seek ways to involve youth in the evaluation?
Do we provide opportunities for youth to feel welcomed and respected in our
evaluation design process?
Can we enhance youth leadership skills through the evaluation?
Have we identified barriers to involving youth in evaluation?
Goals and Outcomes
Do the goals of the evaluation reflect our mission and program activities?
Are the evaluation activities realistic given our available resources?
Do the outcomes outlined in the logic model (theory of change) reflect our core
activities?
Data
Will the evaluation plan gather new and useful data?
Will we be able to use the data that we gather?
Staffing
Have we identified core staff to conduct and lead the evaluation effort?
Does the organization support the roles of the staff leading the evaluation?
Are we making time for these staff to fully carry out the evaluation activities?

IDENTIFYING STAKEHOLDERS AND THEIR
INFORMATION NEEDS
Stakeholders
A stakeholder is anyone who has a stake, or interest, in your efforts. In general, stakeholders
want to know whether your efforts merit their endorsement, investment, or involvement. They
need information from you to help them make that assessment. Typical stakeholder groups
include youth, parents, volunteers, business leaders, elected officials, collaborators and funders.
Each program or community effort, however, will have its own set of stakeholders.
You saw in the previous cookie activity how stakeholders have different information needs. Not
everyone identified the same evaluation questions. A health-conscious person may have wanted
to know the sugar and fat content of each cookie. Someone on a tight budget may have wanted
to know the cost of the cookies. Some people just want to know how they taste.
Likewise, stakeholders in a community change effort may have different needs for information.
Some stakeholders may want to know whether the funds devoted to your effort were used in an
appropriate manner. Other stakeholders may want assurance that products and services made
available through your efforts were distributed equitably. Another stakeholder group may want to
know how many people benefited from your efforts. Still other stakeholders may want specific
information about how those people benefited. Ultimately, stakeholder information needs
depend heavily on the relationship of each stakeholder to the program.
A list of stakeholders can be produced by answering the question, “Who cares?”
Lead the group through a discussion of the relevant stakeholders in your community-building
effort. Identify the specific information each stakeholder group would need about your program.
List the various stakeholders and their information needs on flip chart paper, then develop a
group consensus on which stakeholders to involve on the evaluation team. Use the “Stakeholder
Inventory” on page 47.
When groups think about stakeholders, they frequently think first about adults in positions
of power, such as funders and elected officials. They often overlook many youth stakeholder
groups. Make sure the stakeholder list that your team develops includes youth and adult
stakeholders.

STAKEHOLDER INVENTORY
STAKEHOLDER GROUP INFORMATION NEEDS

MEETING WITH STAKEHOLDERS
Tips for Holding Effective Meetings With Stakeholders
Planning for evaluation usually involves a series of meetings with key stakeholders. Stakeholders
may include the board, youth, and community members. Before and during these meetings, all
stakeholders will want to feel that they are on equal footing in shaping the evaluation plan and
making decisions about its design. To make this happen, it is important to involve all partners,
as much as possible, in all aspects of setting up and conducting meetings. Below are general tips
for what to do before, during, and after meetings with stakeholders.
This meeting with the stakeholders should first and foremost focus on prioritizing information
needs (i.e., the questions they want answered). Once this has been determined, the group can
move on to look at possible designs and methods.
Before the Meeting
✶ Set clear goals for the meeting. Be realistic about what can be accomplished in one meeting,
and make sure you have enough time to accomplish these goals.
✶ Ask all stakeholders to contribute items to the agenda. It is helpful to have each stakeholder
think about agenda items for the meeting in advance. You may want to conduct a brief
conference call prior to your first meeting in order to set goals and prepare an agenda.
During the Meeting
✶ Follow the agenda and keep to the times set for each item. As much as possible, the facilita-tor
or meeting leader should try to follow the agenda and keep discussion within the time
allotted, unless the group agrees that an extension is necessary.
✶ Use an icebreaker at the beginning of the meeting. Starting a meeting (after announcements
and reviewing the agenda) with an icebreaker is a way for participants to become more familiar
with each other and get energized to positively tackle the tasks on the agenda. Try to have
youth lead the icebreakers to keep the group energized.
✶ Use agreed-upon methods to prioritize evaluation activities. Sometimes stakeholders find
that it is easy to generate ideas for evaluation but difficult to prioritize them. You might want to
try the prioritization activity on page 49.

Prioritization Activity
One prioritization strategy is to post all the evaluation options (evaluation questions,
methods, etc.) on the wall and give each participant colored stickers. Ask each participant to
put up to three stickers on each evaluation activity that is a priority to their organization
(the more stickers, the higher the priority). Give the participants 3 to 5 minutes to make their
choices, and then tally the results and present them to the group. Whichever method you
use, make sure that all members of the group can live with the results, and remind them that
lower priority evaluation activities may not be pursued.
✶ Develop next steps, timelines, and lead people to take responsibility for the next steps at
the end of the meeting. Make sure you schedule time at the end of each meeting to talk about
next steps, including follow-up activities for your evaluation plan. Once you have the next
steps, choose dates and lead people to take responsibility for implementing the next steps.
After the Meeting
✶ Reflect on the success of the meeting. Take time to reflect on the meeting and whether you
achieved your goals. Is there anything you can do to make the next meeting more successful?

ESTABLISHING EVALUATION GOALS
Before deciding on evaluation methods, questions, or anything else, it is important to focus your
evaluation by establishing a common goal or purpose—one that accords with organizational val-ues
and goals.
Common goals may include
✶ testing program effectiveness,
✶ making a case for changing program practice(s),
✶ justifying continued funding, and
✶ documenting community change efforts.
Goals may be divided into different levels:
✶ Youth level: to understand whether youth have developed a better understanding of community
issues and strategies for addressing those issues.
✶ Organizational level: to document how the organization has enhanced its ability to serve youth.
✶ Community level: to document and refine community change work.
The “Identifying Goals” activity (page 51) helps to elicit suggested goals for your evaluation.
Have the group decide which goals to focus on at each level: youth, organization, and community.

ACTIVITY: IDENTIFYING GOALS
Objective
To elicit, categorize, and prioritize evaluation goals
Materials Needed
Flip chart paper
Markers
Tape
Copies of the organization’s goals (and objectives, if available)
“Identifying Goals for Evaluation” worksheet, page 53
Time Required
85 minutes
Step 1
Goal
review
Step 2
Brain-storming
evaluation
goals
Step 3
Categor-izing
and
prioritizing
10 min.
30 min.
20 min.
✶ With the full group, review the organization’s
goals.
✶ Discuss and answer any questions about the
goals.
✶ Using the goals as a backdrop, ask participants,
working in small groups, to brainstorm a list of
possible evaluation goals and write these on
flipchart paper.
✶ Post lists; have groups circulate to read all lists
and add ideas as appropriate.
✶ Hold a full-group discussion to eliminate
undesirable or duplicate items.
✶ Divide participants into three groups.
✶ Assign each group to one of the following three
categories: youth, organization, or community.
✶ Ask each group to select items relevant to its
category from the lists on the wall and create a
new list for that category, using the “Identifying
Goals” worksheet.
✶ Each group should then select from its new list
the top 3 to 5 goals relating to its category and
record these, in priority order, on another sheet
of flip chart paper.
✶ Post the paper on wall.
Organization’s goals
Flip chart paper
Markers
Tape
Flip chart paper
Markers
Tape
“Identifying Goals for
Evaluation” worksheet

Step 4
Selecting
goals
Step 5
Reflection
and
discussion
15 min.
10 min.
✶ Ask each group to share its choices.
✶ Have each participant vote for one goal in
each category. Select the top 2 goals in each
category as the direction-setting goals to guide
the evaluation.
Process the activity, asking questions:
✶ Were the suggested goals fairly evenly
divided among the three categories?
✶ Was any one category more difficult than the
others to address? In what way?
✶ Which part of this activity did you enjoy the
most? The least? Why?
✶ How can these goals help you determine
your evaluation questions? The methods you
will select?

WORKSHEET: IDENTIFYING GOALS FOR EVALUATION
Identify evaluation goals for each of the following categories.
Youth-level evaluation goals
Organization-level evaluation goals
Community-level evaluation goals

Prove or Improve?
As we expand our understanding of evaluation, it is important to make a distinction between two
broad types of evaluation.
✹
Outcome evaluation (also referred to as summative evaluation or impact evaluation) focuses on
documenting the results of a community-building effort. Outcome evaluation helps determine
how a community and its people are different as a result of what was done. It examines the
change that the efforts produced. To the degree possible, its aim is to “prove” that the community
change effort was effective and beneficial. In addition to looking at changes that resulted in the
community, outcome evaluation can also examine how participation in the effort affected the
young people and adults involved in the process. Outcome evaluation questions come from the
right side of a community-building logic model.
✹
IDENTIFYING EVALUATION QUESTIONS
Process evaluation (also referred to as formative or improvement evaluation) provides informa-tion
useful for improving the process used to bring about community change. Process evaluation
helps determine what might be done differently the next time a similar community change effort
is implemented. If the aim of outcome evaluation is to “prove,” the aim of process evaluation is
to “improve.” This type of evaluation is a catalyst for continual learning and growth. Process
evaluation questions come from the left side of a community-building logic model.
Neither outcome evaluation nor process evaluation is superior to or more desirable than the
other. Both are essential. Suppose an outcome evaluation finds that the community-building
efforts fell short of achieving the desired results. In that case, process evaluation might shed
light on why the effort was not successful. Conversely, process evaluation may also help identify
approaches, strategies, processes, and actions that contributed to an effort’s success. In
essence, outcome and process evaluation are inextricably intertwined. At times, it is difficult to
categorize an evaluation effort as being either one or the other.
Some authors have suggested that one way in which outcome and process evaluation differ is in
their usefulness to stakeholders (Worthen, Sanders, and Fitzpatrick, 1997). Stakeholders external
to the effort, particularly funders, may be more interested in whether the program made a differ-ence.
Consequently, information provided by outcome evaluation may be of more interest to
them. Stakeholders internal to the effort, such as members of the community-building team, are
often more interested in information generated by process evaluation.

Setting
Assumptions
Context
Input
What aspects
of our
situation
most shaped
our ability to
do the work
we set out to
do in our
community?
Connecting the Logic Model to
Evaluation Questions
Implementation
Quality and Quantity
Activities Outputs
What did
our program
accomplish in
the community?
What activities
went well or
could have been
better?
Outcomes
Effectiveness, Magnitude, and Satisfaction
Short-term
outcomes
What resulted
from our work in
the community?
Long
term
outcomes
Intermediate
outcomes
What have we
learned about doing
this kind of work in
a community like
ours?
Adapted from W. K. Kellogg Foundation. (2000). Logic Model Development Guide. Battle Creek, MI: W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
If you feel that the group would benefit from a further exploration of the outcome/process
distinctions, please use the activity on page 56 with the participants to clarify any questions or
concerns.

ACTIVITY: OUTCOME/PROCESS EVALUATIONS
Below are some questions that could be asked about a community change effort. Some of
the questions deal with the outcomes of such an effort. Others deal with improving the
process used to achieve the desired outcomes. If the question focuses on an outcome of
the community change effort, place an “O” in the space to the left of the question. If the
question is more about the process used, write “P” in the space to the left of the question.
__________ 1. Was the manner in which we publicized our work effective?
__________ 2. In what ways is the community better as a result of our work?
__________ 3. Were all the relevant community partners members of our coalition?
__________ 4. Have community members changed behaviors as a result of our work?
__________ 5. How could the effort be improved?
__________ 6. What effect did we have on policies related to the issue?
__________ 7. What did people learn as a result of participating in the program?
__________ 8. What barriers prevented young people from participating as full partners?
__________ 9. In what ways did we affect public opinion about the issue?
__________ 10. Is the community safer as a result of our efforts?
__________ 11. Were work assignments completed on time?
__________ 12. Did people gain new skills as a result of our efforts?
__________ 13. What effect did we have on the community?
__________ 14. Were the planning meetings productive?
__________ 15. Were the decision-making strategies used by the group effective?
__________ 16. Were we successful in achieving our goals?
Answers: 1, 3, 5, 8, 11, 14, and 15 are process questions.
2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13, and 16 are outcome questions.

DECIDING WHAT TO EVALUATE
Before moving forward with evaluation activities, a decision needs to be made about what to
evaluate. Unfortunately, deciding what to evaluate can sometimes be more difficult than
conducting the evaluation itself!
One could evaluate many aspects of a community-building effort. The previous sections dis-cussed
two basic types of evaluation. One type focuses on measuring outcomes, or the results,
of a community-building effort. The other focuses on determining how the community-building
effort could be improved.
Remember, multiple levels of outcomes can be measured. If the focus is on measuring outcomes,
should you measure initial, intermediate, or long-term outcomes? Similarly, if you focus on
examining the community-building process, deciding what elements of that process should be
evaluated can also be difficult.
Once these evaluation goals have been established, they form the basis for identifying the
questions that will be asked during the evaluation itself. For example, if an evaluation goal is
“to determine the effectiveness of our youth leadership program,” what are some specific
questions that will result in our being able to know to what extent we have met this goal?
Fortunately, two information sources help determine what should be evaluated. The first is
the community-building logic model constructed earlier. The second is the list of stakeholder
information needs. In the exercise that follows, members of the community-building team
will use these two information sources to generate a list of potential evaluation questions.
Examples of the type of questions that the activity may produce are as follows:
✶ Did adults change their opinions about the importance of involving young people on boards
and committees?
✶ Were printed materials inclusive and culturally sensitive?
✶ Has there been a reduction in school violence?
✶ Did the community-building effort effectively reach all the intended audiences?

It is unlikely that all the questions on the list will ultimately be answered. Some things are too
costly to evaluate. Some are too time consuming. And some things we simply don’t know how to
evaluate. Consequently, the goal of evaluation is to provide maximally useful information given
the setting and constraints within which the community-building effort operates. What is actually
evaluated is based on what makes sense for a particular community-building effort.
✶ Evaluation questions should focus on understanding how your program will meet its intended
goals. Good questions enable you and others to get the answers you need to tell your story.
✶ Pick a program activity that you want to evaluate.
✶ Decide whether you want your questions to focus on the processes or outcomes of your work.
✶ Use simple, concrete language that focuses on what you need to know.
Youth members of a community-building team may have important insights into the specific
information needs of various stakeholder groups. Listen closely for ideas from young people
regarding evaluation questions.

ACTIVITY: GENERATING EVALUATION QUESTIONS
Overview
Youth and adults work in small groups to discuss the focus of the evaluation.
Objective
To use the community-building logic model and the list of stakeholder information needs to
develop a list of evaluation questions
Materials Needed
Flip chart
“Evaluation Questions Flip Chart” template, page 61
Markers
Tape
Completed logic model, page 34
“Identifying Goals for Evaluation” worksheet, page 53
Adhesive dots
Time Required
Step 1
Revisiting
the logic
model
Step 2
Brain-storming
evaluation
questions
10 min.
30 min.
20 min.
✶ Say to the group, “The purpose of this activity
is to develop a set of questions that will guide
our evaluation efforts.”
✶ Divide the participants into groups of 3 to 5
people. To the degree possible, ensure that
each group has equal representation of youth
and adults.
✶ Then ask each group to look at the logic model
that the group developed earlier. Ask them to
discuss the following question: “How does the
logic model we developed inform the process
of evaluation?” (How does the logic model help
us know what to evaluate?)
✶ Now ask the participants to look at the
“Identifying Goals for Evaluation” worksheet in
their small group.
✶ Using the logic model and the worksheet, identify
3 to 5 questions that need to be answered by
the evaluation. A recorder in each small group
should write down the questions identified.
✶ After each group has identified at least 3 evalu-ation
questions, have each group share one of
its evaluation questions with the entire group.
The facilitator should write the questions on flip
chart paper as they are read.
✶ Continue taking one question per group until
all questions have been read—see “Flip Chart
Template.”
Completed logic model
Flip chart paper
Markers
“Identifying Goals for
Evaluation” worksheet
“Evaluation Questions
Flip Chart” template

Step 3
Analysis
Step 4
Building
consensus
20 min.
10 min.
✶ Say to the group, “Now we are going to exam-ine
some of the benefits and challenges to
answering these evaluation questions. We will
first look at the benefits.”
✶ Begin by asking the group to identify the bene-fits
derived from answering the first question.
Perhaps ask, “Of what value is the answer to
this question?” Record the responses on flip
chart paper.
✶ Next, ask the group to identify the challenges or
difficulties that may be encountered in answer-ing
that question. Again, record the responses
on flip chart paper.
✶ Continue until benefits and challenges have
been identified for each potential evaluation
question.
✶ Give each person in the room 3 to 5 adhesive
dots. Tell them to place a dot on the flip chart
next to each question they feel should become
a focus of the evaluation.
✶ After everyone has voted, count the number of
dots by each question.
✶ Then involve the group in deciding how many
of the top “vote-getters” the group can reason-ably
work on.
Flip chart paper
Markers
Adhesive dots

TEMPLATE: EVALUATION QUESTIONS FLIP CHART
EVALUATION QUESTION WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES
ANSWERING THIS QUESTION? OR DIFFICULTIES?

WORKSHEET: TAKING STOCK OF EXISTING DATA
Now that you have your list of evaluation questions, lead the group through a discussion of data
you already have and data you need. Fill out the information on the following sheet. This will help
you focus your resources on the gaps in your data.
EVALUATION QUESTIONS DATA YOU ALREADY HAVE DATA YOU NEED
DEVELOPING INDICATORS
Youth characteristics
and program activity
Program-level
information
Youth outcomes
Community impact
On many occasions, families across the country sit down together for a delicious meal. Often, the
prominent feature of that meal is a plump, juicy turkey. Earlier that morning, the person responsi-ble
for preparing the meal most likely cleaned the uncooked bird, positioned it in a roasting pan,
and placed it in a heated oven. Although experienced chefs know how they will determine when
the turkey is ready to eat, others will have to decide on the indicator of doneness they will use.
Perhaps the most reliable indicator of doneness is the internal temperature of the meat, as
measured by a meat thermometer inserted into the flesh of the bird. In the absence of a meat
thermometer, some people will simply roast the turkey at a particular temperature for a specified
number of minutes per pound. Others determine doneness by manipulating the connective
tissues in the leg joints. Some will simply cook the turkey until it is golden brown. Some food
manufacturers make it easy on the cook by inserting a small plastic device into the bird. When
the turkey is done, an indicator pops out of the device.
You can certainly look at a number of indicators to figure out when a turkey is ready to eat.
But what does all this have to do with community building?

In the previous section, we developed a set of questions to guide our evaluation efforts.
Indicators are the specific things that we examine for answers to our evaluation questions.
If we want to know whether our community-building effort was successful in reducing graffiti
in the community, what information do we need to answer that question? If we wanted to know
whether community members changed their attitudes toward recycling, what indicator of
attitude would we use? The table on page 64 gives examples of indicators for different types
of evaluation questions.
Be aware that multiple indicators may exist for answering a particular evaluation question. For
example, a number of indicators can answer whether adults are more willing to include young
people on boards and committees.
Although indicators specify what to look at for the answers to evaluation questions, they do not
specify the level or value of a particular indicator that must be achieved for an effort to be con-sidered
a success. Is a score of 80 percent on a test considered a “good” score? Is a 10-percent
reduction in litter on a particular section of highway sufficient to call an anti-litter campaign a
success? It depends on our expectations.
As we develop indicators, it is also useful to identify the standards that constitute success.
Without criteria or standards, the conclusions we draw about our evaluation data are subject to
question.

EVALUATION QUESTIONS AND SAMPLE
INDICATORS
QUESTIONS INDICATORS
What changes in
attitude about
environmental pollu-tion
were achieved?
How much did youth
increase their
participation in
social change?
How much did
communication
skills improve?
✶ Decrease in littering
✶ Increase in recycling
✶ Awareness of effects of environmental pollution
✶ Awareness of different types of environmental injustices
✶ Communicates with elected officials about social policy
✶ Demonstrates knowledge about public policy that affects own community
✶ Increases level of community involvement (e.g., volunteering, participat-ing
in rallies and protests)
✶ Increased ability to identify social injustices
✶ Improved written and oral communication skills
✶ Increased knowledge and use of media outlets to express views

ACTIVITY: SPECIFYING INDICATORS AND STANDARDS
Overview
The community-building team begins work on an evaluation plan.
Objective
To develop indicators for each of the evaluation questions participants have written
Materials Needed
Copies of the “Evaluation” worksheet, page 66
Pens
Time Required
Step 1
Introducing
a frame-work
for
evaluation
planning
Step 2
Identifying
indicators
Step 3
Reflection
and
discussion
10 min.
10 min.
10 min.
✶ Say to the group, “The purpose of this activity
is to develop indicators for each of the evalua-tion
questions we have written.”
✶ Give each participant a copy of the “Evaluation”
worksheet.
✶ Have the participants write the evaluation
questions to be answered in the left column of
the worksheet.
✶ Divide participants into small groups.
✶ Have each group select which one of the
evaluation questions it wants to work on.
✶ Now ask the groups to identify some indicators
for their selected evaluation question.
Emphasize that indicators specify what data the
group can use to answer the question. Ask the
groups to specify the level (standard) of the
indicator that will constitute success, when
possible.
Have each group share its indicators and stan-dards.
Discuss them in the full group, asking
questions:
– What was easy? Hard?
– How do you feel about your final product?
– Can you use these in your evaluation plan?
“Evaluation” worksheet
Pens

WHAT QUESTIONS WHAT INDICATORS AND WHAT EVALUATION METHODS WHEN WILL EVALUATION
WILL BE ANSWERED? STANDARDS WILL BE USED? WILL BE USED? ACTIVITIES OCCUR?
WORKSHEET: EVALUATION
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

EXISTING INFORMATION
Generally, existing information is defined as data collected by an entity other than your
community-building team. Although usually collected for other purposes, this information
frequently plays an important role in both the initiation and evaluation of community-building
efforts. Look first at how existing information catalyzes community action.
Numbers and statistics alone do not speak for themselves. It is the value of a particular piece of
information that gives it meaning. In many cases a particular piece of information will disturb
community members to the point that it prompts community action. For example, a community
may choose to address its rising rate of petty crime because of data released by local law
enforcement authorities. Another community may be stirred to action because community
members are below average on some national indicator of community health.
When an indicator of community well-being, such as the petty crime rate, has actually catalyzed
community action, it may make sense to use subsequent measures of the indicator to evaluate
the success of your team’s efforts. But care must be taken in using existing information. Consider
the following factors when using this type of data:
✶ Make sure you understand completely what the information represents. What does it include?
What is not included? How is the indicator defined? How is it measured? When were the
measurements taken? Answers to these questions help you determine whether the indicator
is appropriate for measuring the success of your community-building effort.
✶ Does your community-building effort have the potential to produce measurable change in the
indicator you are considering? If your community-building activities are highly localized, it is
unlikely that you will observe change in indicators that represent broad geographic regions.
✶ Get assurances that the data you are using is credible and unbiased. Know who collected the
information. Is it from a credible government source? Or is it produced by an organization that
may have a hidden agenda?
Using Existing Information
To use existing information, begin by gathering all available information that relates to your
community-building effort. Members of your community-building team may know of existing
information sources that are relevant to your project, and the Internet is a wonderful tool for
accessing information. Refer back to your list of data you have and data you need. Then, decide
which measures are appropriate for assessing the impact of your community-building effort.
The sections that follow briefly describe several common methods for collecting evaluation data.

EVALUATION METHODS
Although indicators identify what you will look at to determine whether evaluation criteria are
met, they do not specify how indicator data will be collected. You must still decide which
evaluation method(s) to use. For example, if we are interested in knowing whether a community
campaign was successful in influencing how community members view their relationship with the
environment, we may select attitudes toward recycling as the indicator of change. But how can
we measure attitudes toward the environment? Could we use a questionnaire? Might personal
interviews be appropriate? What other methods could we use?
Just as a carpenter has many tools in his toolbox, evaluators also must have numerous tools at
their disposal. The carpenter may have a saw, hammer, chisel, square, and drill. An evaluator’s
toolbox may contain questionnaires, interviews, focus groups, and observation. Evaluators select
the method best suited for the job.
Selecting the right method involves many factors. Some methods are better for gathering
quantitative data, others for qualitative data. Some are better for particular audiences than
others. Some methods gather richer, deeper data than others do.
When designing evaluation tools and selecting evaluation methods, it is useful to consider
the cultural contexts of the communities in which programs operate. Here are some guiding
questions to consider to ensure that evaluation methods and tools are culturally appropriate:
✶ Are data collection methods relevant and culturally sensitive to the population being evaluated?
✶ Have you considered how different methods may or may not work in various cultures? Have
you explored how different groups prefer to share information (e.g., orally, in writing, one-on-one,
in groups, through the arts)?
✶ Do the instruments consider potential language barriers that may inhibit some people from
understanding the evaluation questions?
✶ Do the instruments consider the cultural context of the respondents?
✶ Are multiple methods being used, so that information can be analyzed in a variety of ways?

Young people may have a number of fresh ideas for gathering evaluation data. Be open to
their ideas and suggestions. Their ideas frequently result in more user-friendly evaluation
tools and methods and, thus, better data. Don’t be afraid to try new methods.
Questionnaires
Questionnaires are simple and effective tools for collecting information from a large number of
people. Compared with other ways of collecting information, questionnaires are relatively inex-pensive
to administer. They can be used to gather information about the community-building
process itself (process evaluation) or the results it produced (outcome evaluation).
Utility of Questionnaires
When using questionnaires to evaluate your community-building process, you typically ask
questions about how the work of the team was accomplished. For example, you could ask
participants in a community event to provide ideas for how the event could be improved in the
future. An end-of-event questionnaire could be used to gather such information.
Questionnaires can also be used to collect information about the outcomes of a community-building
effort. Questions would focus on how the community is different as a result of what was
done. For example, a questionnaire might be used to find out whether community members have
changed their opinions about a particular issue as a result of the team’s efforts. Questionnaires
can also be used to find out what community members are doing differently as a result of the
community-building efforts.
Types of Questions
Questionnaires can contain either forced-choice or open-ended questions. Forced-choice ques-tions
have a limited number of responses from which a respondent may choose. Respondents
are frequently asked to check or circle their desired responses. One advantage of forced-choice
questions is that they are typically easier to analyze than open-ended questions.
Example of Forced-Choice Question
Which of the following best describes the degree to which young people were involved in
making decisions about the project?
____ No involvement
____ Little involvement
____ Moderate involvement
____ Extensive involvement

An open-ended question does not require a respondent to choose from a set of possible
responses. Instead, respondents are free to answer as they choose. Open-ended questions
typically provide more in-depth information than forced-choice questions do. They also help
solicit unanticipated responses.
Example of Open-Ended Question
What are some of the challenges young people face when working in partnership with
adults?
Hints for Constructing Questionnaires
First, revisit the evaluation questions you developed earlier and decide whether a questionnaire
is the best way to gather the information you need. If so, decide on the specific group of people
to whom the questionnaire will be administered.
Next, referring to the evaluation questions, begin developing items for the questionnaire.
Evaluation questions tend to be more general than the items or individual questions that may
appear on a questionnaire. Therefore, it may take more than one item to answer a particular
evaluation question.
Group the questions by topic or format. (For example, you may want to put all the forced-choice
questions together.) Put demographic questions about where participants live, their age, or
gender at the end.
Leave lots of “white space” in the margins and between questions. The goal is to make the
questionnaire look like it is easy to complete. Also, strive to achieve a vertical flow in how the
respondent must answer the questions. That is, minimize left-to-right movement of a pen or
pencil across the page (Rennekamp, 1999).
Administering Questionnaires
Questionnaires can be administered via mail, telephone, or computer; in face-to-face interviews;
or in a group. Each method has distinct advantages and disadvantages. For example, mail
administration allows for broad reach but often produces low response rates. Web-based
questionnaires can be programmed to automatically summarize the results but can only be
completed by people who have access to the Internet. Face-to-face or telephone interviews often
produce more complete information, but they are time consuming to conduct. Administering
paper-and-pencil questionnaires in a group setting often results in high response rates, but
respondents often hurry through the questionnaire and provide less detailed information.

Analyzing the Responses
Analyze forced-choice questions by calculating the percentage of respondents who selected a
particular response. Means are also appropriate for some numeric data. Open-ended questions
are best analyzed by looking for themes in the information provided by respondents.
Focus Groups
Group interviews are another way to collect information from many people. Most people are
familiar with focus groups.
A focus group is a small-group gathering conducted specifically to collect information from the
group members. During a focus group discussion, between 6 and 12 people, who are similar in
one or more ways, are guided through a facilitated discussion on a clearly defined topic (Krueger
and Casey, 2000).
The goal of any focus group is to promote self-disclosure among participants. Because a group,
rather than an individual, is asked to respond to questions, dialogue tends to take on a life of its
own. Participants “piggy-back” on the comments of others and add a richness to the dialogue
that could not be achieved through a one-on-one interview.
Clarifying Expectations
The first step in planning a focus group is to clarify its purpose. What kind of information do you
hope to gain from your focus group discussion? Do you want input about how an activity or event
could be improved, or are you more interested in the activity’s impact on the community? What
specific information is needed? Your answers to these questions will help you decide whom to
invite to participate in the focus group discussion.
Selecting Participants
Members of a focus group should have some characteristic in common. For example, the infor-mation
you need to collect might suggest that you need to conduct a focus group composed of
middle-school girls. Even though participants in a focus group are similar in one or two desired
characteristics, the group must also include enough diversity in other characteristics to provide
an accurate portrayal of the group’s collective opinion. For example, the group might be
composed of middle-school girls who represent the racial, ethnic, and economic diversity of
the middle school’s population.
Getting People to Attend
Occasionally, people avoid using focus groups because they are afraid that the people they invite
won’t show up. To ensure high attendance rates, begin by making personal contact with the
people you wish to invite. This is often done through a telephone call or personal visit. For those
who agree to attend, send a personal letter that confirms their participation and communicates
the relevant details of the event. Then make a reminder phone contact the day before the event.

What Happens at the Focus Group Interview?
Focus group interviews typically last no longer than 90 minutes and often take less time. In many
instances, the actual “interview” is preceded by a snack or light meal. Focus groups can be
conducted around a large table or with participants seated in a circle of chairs. Participants are
typically given name tags. A moderator welcomes the group and asks a series of 6 to 10 open-ended
questions, and an assistant moderator or recorder takes notes. The discussion is often
tape recorded for later playback or transcription. It is important, however, to let participants
know that they are being recorded.
Developing Questions for Focus Groups
An important step in preparing for the focus group interview is the development of a set of ques-tions
that encourage participants to respond and collect the information needed. Good questions
sound conversational and natural. They are usually short, open-ended, and one-dimensional
(i.e., they ask for only one piece of information at a time). Begin with an introductory question
that will get people talking and make them feel comfortable. Gradually move into the topic you
want them to discuss with a transition question that is followed by several key questions cover-ing
the major areas of interest.
The specific order in which the questions are asked is called the questioning route. A good
questioning route has an easy beginning, flows logically and naturally from one question to
another, and moves from the general to the specific. It is important to estimate the time required
to exhaust the discussion on each question. These time estimates can be used to help manage
the focus group discussion.
Moderating Focus Groups
Effective moderating requires preparation, mental discipline, and skill in facilitating group
interaction. But first, moderators must believe that all participants have something to contribute
to the discussion regardless of their education level, experience, or background. Moderators
must listen attentively, with sensitivity, and try to understand the perspective of each participant.
Lack of respect is quickly transmitted to participants and results in reduced contributions.
Tips for Conducting Good Interviews
✶ Use active listening skills—listen more, talk less.
✶ Maintain eye contact and use body language that says you are interested and nonjudgmental.
✶ Keep a neutral demeanor and try not to let your own opinions show.
✶ Probe when appropriate. Follow up with “Why? Say more about this” … or “Please elaborate.”

Data Analysis
Data analysis consists of indexing, managing, and interpreting the pieces of information that are
collected during the interview. Begin by coding or labeling the notes (or transcripts) of the ses-sion
according to content. For example, all references to the publicity surrounding a community
event could be labeled with the same code. Next, use scissors or word-processing software to
collate the coded text into each category. Each category should be in a separate pile or section of
the document. Finally, write a summary statement that is true of each extract or piece of text in
the pile or group. These statements often become key themes that are communicated in your
evaluation report.
Key-Informant Interviews
A key informant is someone who, because of his or her unique position in a community, can pro-vide
you with important information about your community-building effort. Some key informants
have first-hand knowledge of the community-building effort and can provide you with their own
assessment of what is occurring. Others have access to information that would be difficult for
you to obtain without their participation. In such cases, key informants pass along that informa-tion
to you, often with an interpretation of what the data might mean. The use of key informants
is a relatively simple and inexpensive means of collecting information.
Identifying Key Informants
Every community-building effort has a unique set of key informants. Key informants can be teach-ers,
elected officials, youth, community leaders, agency staff, parents, and even funders. Begin
by asking the question, “Who in my community is in a position to provide me with information
about how the community-building effort is working?” Then make a list of the key informants
relevant to your community-building effort.
Next, decide who among the members of your project team would be the most appropriate
person (or persons) to interview the key informants. Some members of the team might have
better access to particular informants than others. Those team members should then make an
appointment to conduct a face-to-face or telephone interview with each key informant assigned
to them. If the key informant will need to gather any information from his or her records before
the interview, it is good to state that in advance.
Questions
Before the interview, know what type of information you want from the key informant you are
interviewing. Take some time before the interview to write down the questions you plan to ask.
One approach is to write some key questions to cover each of the important topics, then a couple
of potential follow-up questions for each key question. Ask factual questions about a particular
topic first, then the opinion questions. Be sure to write open-ended rather than “yes–no”
questions.
The goal is to be specific with questioning while allowing enough flexibility for open discussion.

Interviewing
Interviews should be structured, yet conversational. Begin by making the key informant comfort-able.
Tell him or her the purpose of the interview and provide assurance that the information will
only be used for making judgments about the community-building effort. Because of the nature
of the information key informants provide, it is often difficult to ensure their anonymity. In many
cases, the key informant is the only person who could have provided a particular piece of infor-mation.
(That is why they are key informants!) Make sure the key informant is comfortable with
the way you plan to use the information you collect.
Maintain a neutral attitude throughout the interview. Don’t try to defend your community-building
project or argue with the key informant’s assessment of a situation. Be prepared to probe or use
follow-up questions to gather additional information that might clarify why the key informant
sees the situation as he or she does. Be sure to take detailed notes—they are essential to
accurate analysis.
Data Analysis
Responses from the key informants are typically reviewed and analyzed to identify key themes as
well as divergent viewpoints. This analysis may be best accomplished by a meeting of all inter-viewers
in which everyone shares information from his or her interview(s).
Observation
The aim of observation is to document behavior through watching and listening. Through obser-vation
it is possible to see what people are doing, when they do it, where they do it, and how
they are doing it. You can use observation to gather information about the community-building
process itself (i.e., process evaluation) or the results it produced (i.e., outcome evaluation).
Although the benefits of observations are multifold, the presence of the observer may influence
the behavior of those being observed. The consistency of data collected can also vary if more
than one observer is gathering data.
Observing Process
Using observation to evaluate your community-building process might be as simple as having an
impartial observer sit in on a planning meeting of your community-building group. In such a role,
the observer may simply take notes about how the group goes about its work. Results are then
used to improve how the planning group functions.
Observing Outcomes
When the goal of an evaluation project is to document results of a community-building effort,
observation is frequently used to determine whether people have changed their behavior as a
direct consequence of the group’s actions. In such cases, observation has some clear and distinct

advantages over asking people to self-report their behavior through questionnaires or inter-views.
First, people tend to overestimate how frequently they perform good behaviors. Second,
they may provide you with information that they think you want to hear. Direct observation
eliminates those problems.
Unstructured Versus Structured Observation
Observation can be either unstructured or structured in nature. In unstructured observation,
observers are generally not asked to look for specific things, nor are they asked to record their
observations in any particular manner.
Structured observation involves the systematic collection of specific pieces of information.
Structured observation frequently involves the use of checklists, forms, or observation schedules
upon which observers record what they see. Observers receive training on how to recognize what
they are looking for as well as how to record what they observe.
Behaviors Versus Traces
Sometime observers can record the presence of an actual behavior. For example, an observer
may be asked to record how many different active-listening techniques are used in a mock peer
counseling session. Other times, observers look for something called traces of behavior, such as
graffiti or litter on the roadside.
Guidelines for Observing Events
Identify the Purpose of the Observation
Determine the focus of the observation, including who will be observed, what will be observed,
and the duration of the observation. For example, an observation of a racism workshop could
include documentation of the number of youth present, which youth participated, how the youth
participated, and the methods the facilitator used to solicit equal participation.
Design an Observation Guide
Once you identify the purpose of the observation, the observation guide should be developed
to address key observation questions and goals. These goals can include interactions between
individuals or groups of people, activities, and topics discussed. See the Sample Observation
Guide on page 77.

Train Observers
Determine what type of documentation is appropriate for each component of the observation
form. If possible, have all observers observe the same situation and fill out their forms separately,
then compare their responses. Discuss the observers’ differences in level of detail and content.
This analysis will help create a common understanding of what level and type of information
should be collected.
What to Observe
✶ The setting: What is the physical environment like? What kinds of behavior does the setting
encourage, permit, discourage, or prevent?
✶ The participants: Who is in the scene? How many people are there, and what are their roles?
What brings these people together? Who is allowed there?
✶ Activities and interactions: What is going on? Is there a definable sequence of activities?
How do people interact with the activity and one another?
✶ Frequency and duration: When did the activity begin? How long does it last? Is the activity
recurring or unique? How typical of such situations is the one being observed?

SAMPLE OBSERVATION GUIDE
Name of observer_______________________________________________ Date___________
Event________________________________________________________________________
Location______________________________________________________________________
Number of youth present ________________________________________________________
Number of adults present _______________________________________________________
Number of staff present _________________________________________________________
General
Take note of the following general dimensions.
GENERAL DIMENSIONS YES NO COMMENTS AND DETAILS
Do youth lead the activity?
Does the session structure allow
for broad group input?
Is the space comfortable and
well lit?
Do youth feel comfortable in
the space?
Are the walls or space decorated
in any way?
Is information presented in a
variety of modes (visual, oral,
discussion based)?
Youth–Adult Interaction
Please check one box for the following qualities of youth–adult interaction.
QUALITIES OF INTERACTION YES NO UNEVEN COMMENTS
Guidelines or ground rules are
set at the beginning of activity.
Youth ask questions.
Staff or adults avoid the use
of jargon or technical terms
and stop to explain when
youth don’t understand.
Youth share from their own
experiences.
Staff and/or adults share from
their own experiences.

QUALITIES OF INTERACTION YES NO UNEVEN COMMENTS
All youth participate in
discussion.
Adults and youth appear to
respect each other’s opinions
and perspectives.
Efforts are made to equalize
input (i.e., adults or other
youth solicit the participation
of quiet youth and adults).
Body language of youth seems
engaged and energized.
Participation crosses racial,
cultural, and gender
boundaries.
Describe an interesting comment or exchange that occurred during the observation.
How would you describe the climate of the activity (informal, structured, friendly, etc.)?
Other comments

ACTIVITY: HOW, WHAT, WHY?
CHOOSING METHODS
Overview
You now have developed several evaluation questions and have examined a variety of meth-ods
that you might use in gathering data. The next step is to decide which data collection
method is appropriate to use in each situation.
First, consider your evaluation questions. Your choice of tools and methods should be driven
by the types of questions you want answered. Evaluation questions fall into four categories:
✶ WHY questions are best addressed through face-to-face methods, such as interviews and
focus groups.
✶ HOW questions help you understand how something happened or the process of imple-menting
a program. These also work best in interviews or focus groups.
✶ HOW MANY questions are best addressed through surveys, activity logs, intake data, and
other ways of capturing quantitative or numeric data.
✶ WHAT questions help you document what program staff have done and what participants
have experienced. All methods can be used to answer WHAT questions.
Try the following simple activity with the group to solidify what they have learned about
selecting data collection methods.
Objective
To learn an appropriate process for choosing data collection methods
Materials Needed
Flip chart
Markers
Tape
Index cards or half sheets of paper
Time Required

Step 1
Introduc-tion
Step 2
Matching
questions
and
methods
Step 3
Review the
data
Step 4
Reflection
and
discussion
10 min.
20 min.
10 min.
15 min.
Post on a flip chart and present to the group the
information above about the types of evaluation
questions and possible methods to be used for
data collection.
✶ Post on flip charts or on the walls around the
room signs listing all possible data collection
methods. Be sure to add an “Other” sign, as
well.
✶ Ask each person to write up to 5 evaluation
questions on index cards or half sheets—one
question per card. Then have participants post
their questions under whichever method they
think is most appropriate.
Have everyone walk around and read what has
been posted.
✶ Which methods seem to be used the most?
The least?
✶ Were any questions hard to assign to a
method?
✶ What lessons from this activity can be useful in
planning our evaluation?
Flip chart
Markers
Markers
Tape
Index cards or half
sheets

DEVELOPING AN EVALUATION TIMELINE
Deciding when to collect data is an important part of planning an evaluation. When you don’t
plan for data collection, you often miss important opportunities to gather data. For example,
once you begin your community-building project, you may no longer have the opportunity to
gather important baseline data about the community.
Basically, evaluation data can be collected at only three points in time—before the community-building
project, during the community-building project, and after it has been completed.
Frequently, you collect baseline data before the community-building project to document the
conditions that existed beforehand. Sometimes data are collected during a community-building
effort to determine whether the effort is on course or needs changes. Data can also be collected
after the community-building project is completed to document what was accomplished. Below
are several evaluation designs that use different time frames for data collection. The arrows
indicate the points at which data are collected.
Community-Building Activities

In the example above, evaluation data are collected just once—after the community-building
efforts have been completed. Although this design allows evaluators to ask community members
about the changes they have seen since the onset of community-building activities, it does not
involve collection of true baseline data.

The next design includes the collection of baseline data before the community-building activities
are implemented. This design provides more assurances that change did, in fact, occur between
the two points in time, but it does not say for certain that your community-building efforts
produced the change. This design is frequently called a pretest–posttest design.


This design adds a measurement point during the community-building activities. Data collection
at this point in time frequently focuses on the community-building process and how it could be
improved.

This final design, called a time-series design, involves taking periodic measurements of a rele-vant
indicator at multiple points in time. This design helps identify trends that may be brought
about by the community-building activities. Again, however, it is difficult to be sure that the
changes were brought about by the community-building activities.
Each of the designs above has strengths and limitations. All could be improved by taking
measurements from a comparison or control group. When you know how much natural change
occurred in a group or community that was not affected by your community-building effort, you
are better prepared to make claims regarding the success of your efforts.

ANALYZING EVALUATION RESULTS
Many community organizations frequently face an analysis “roadblock”: collecting large
quantities of data that are never fully analyzed. Here are some keys to overcoming the analysis
roadblock:
✶ Demystify data analysis; data analysis can be an empowering process for your organization.
✶ Develop a plan for data analysis, either to
– conduct data analysis within your organization or
– get help with analysis from outside consultants
✶ Report your findings in ways that will engage program stakeholders, funders, and other
community members.
✶ Draw on your data to improve your program practices.
Data Analysis: Where to Begin?
1. Decide whether to do an internal analysis or use an external consultant.
2. Gather first impressions. Discuss the quality and breadth of data with the evaluation team.
Guiding questions:
– Did anything occur that may have compromised the data?
– What are the initial thoughts on evaluation results? Did anything come as a surprise?
– What interviews or data sources are particularly rich or helpful?
3. Organize and “clean” your data. The purpose is to determine if you have accurate and quality
responses to questions and processes. Examine all the data related to each research question
separately. Ideally, there should be more than one data source for each question. Think if
information is missing, misrepresented or inconsistent.
4. Analyze your data.
✶ Quantitative data analysis is the analysis of numbers. Quantitative data are best presented
in the form of pictures, such as graphs and charts.
– Sources of quantitative data include surveys, sign-in sheets, event forms, entrance
interviews, or applications with demographic data; census data; and budget data.
– Quantitative data analysis can consist of simple calculations yielding factual information on
attendance, usage, changes in performance, or changes in knowledge or attitudes (e.g.,
pre- and posttests). Program staff can do this analysis with the help of spreadsheet soft-ware
(e.g., Excel).

✶ Qualitative data analysis is the analysis of words and pictures. Qualitative data are best pre-sented
as “word stories” or “video stories.”
– Sources of qualitative data include observation notes, anecdotal records, document review,
content analysis (e.g., of videos or youth media), and interviews and focus group notes.
– Qualitative data analysis can include identifying themes in the data (a process called coding).
Themes can be framed around your key evaluation questions or other sources. This analysis
can also include creating a story from the data that uses descriptive details of behaviors and
selections of representative quotes from those who were interviewed.
Interpreting your data can be done in the context of answering the following questions:
✶ Are the results reasonable?
✶ How can the results be explained?
✶ What is surprising about the results?
✶ What is missing from the results?
✶ What implications do the results have for identifying how the program can improve?
When you prepare your findings, be sure to include positive and unexpected or negative results:
✶ Positive results tell you where your program’s strengths are, motivate staff and other program
stakeholders, and identify program areas that might be expanded.
✶ Unexpected or negative results are crucial to framing recommendations and modifying
practices. They can also be part of an argument for expanded funding or programming
(e.g., increases in staffing or expansion of facilities).
Checklist for Data Analysis
✶ Are the goals for data analysis realistic, given the program budget and staff commitments?
✶ Are all possible data sources being drawn upon in order to develop findings?
✶ Is there an effort to identify program weaknesses and program strengths?
✶ Have efforts been made to involve program stakeholders?
✶ Are findings and recommendations framed in such a way that they can be useful for program
improvement?

COMMUNICATING EVALUATION RESULTS
The final phase of the evaluation process involves putting the information generated into the
hands of relevant stakeholders. As we saw earlier, however, not all stakeholders have the same
information needs. Some stakeholders, particularly those internal to the community-building
effort, are interested in information about how the work can be improved. Other stakeholders are
more interested in the results of the community-building effort.
Nor do all stakeholders want their information in the same format. Some stakeholders want
information in abbreviated formats, with major findings highlighted. Others need more complete
reports.
Consequently, developing a communication plan for your evaluation project involves three basic
steps:
1. Review the list of stakeholders developed earlier. For which of these stakeholders will you
develop a communication strategy? Which groups need or expect a report?
2. Decide which pieces of evaluation data would be of greatest interest to each stakeholder
group. Again, revisit the list of stakeholder information needs developed earlier.
3. Decide on the format of the report to be used with each stakeholder group. Consider slide
presentations, printed reports, executive summaries, newspaper articles, and oral reports.
Include charts, graphs, photographs, and other graphics if appropriate.
Young people and adults can be involved in the presentation of evaluation results. Consider
appointing a team of youth and adults who can present the evaluation results to partner
organizations, civic groups, and government. Presentations by young people often captivate
an audience of adults more than presentations by other adults do. Make sure that young
people have meaningful roles in preparing and presenting the information and are not just
tokens.

PRESENTING SURVEY RESULTS
Quantitative results are easiest to understand when they are presented as pictures. Spreadsheet
software can convert simple statistics (such as a percentage distribution) into bar charts or pie
charts.
Using an application like Microsoft Excel is straightforward for simple statistics. Just enter your
data into a spreadsheet and select the columns you would like to chart. Then, press the “Chart
Wizard” icon on the toolbar. The Chart Wizard will ask you questions about what type of chart
you would like to create. Choices for chart types include column, bar, pie, line, scatter, and area,
among others. You will probably find column, bar, pie, and line charts to be most useful. Here are
some examples:
Column Chart Pie Chart
50
40
30
20
10
0
Frequency Percentage
■ 4 hours or
more
■ 2–3 hours
■ 1–2 hours
■ Less than
1 hour
4 hours or
more 33%
Less than
1 hour 7%
1–2 hours
15%
2–3 hours
45%
Frequency
(Out of 100)

Line Chart Bar Chart
Program Enrollment Sept–Dec Frequency
50
40
30
20
10
■ 4 hours
or more
■ 2–3 hours
■ 1–2 hours
■ Less than
1 hour
0 10 20 30 40 50
Sept Oct Nov Dec
# of Youth
Once you create your chart, you can edit fonts, colors, arrangement, and labels. You can copy
and paste charts from Excel straight into word-processing documents for your reports. Choose
the most effective way to present your data, keeping in mind which chart type will show the
greatest change or difference (if that is what you are highlighting.) Also, be selective about what
you decide to chart. Only chart the data that you think will be most useful for funders and other
stakeholders to see.

NEXT STEPS
Evaluation findings can be used in several ways to modify existing practices in an organization.
The first might be to set targets to identify your goals in program modification. Involve multiple
program stakeholders in a “visioning” process, imagining where your organization should be on
core outcomes and indicators (e.g., higher rates of retention, increased youth knowledge of
community) at various points in time (1 year, 3 years, etc.).
Then, create an action plan for achieving program improvement, which includes identifying
someone to oversee the process, a timeline, an assessment of program resources needed to
bring about change, and evidence of the accomplishment.
Next, make commitments—set tangible and realistic commitments to changing program practices
that will help you reach your targets (e.g., extending the volunteer network, increasing “one-on-ones”
with new youth participants).
Using the “Goal Planning” worksheet (page 90) , have stakeholder groups set targets, create
action plans and commitments, and identify appropriate time frames for reaching your new
goals.

ACTIVITY: ACTION PLANNING
Objective
To help stakeholder groups set targets, create action plans, and identify time frames for
reaching goals
Materials Needed
“Goal Planning” worksheet, page 90
Pens
Tape
Time Required
80 minutes
Step 1
Introduc-tion
Step 2
Start
actions
plans
Step 3
Review
findings
Step 4
Reflection
and
discussion
5 min.
45 min.
15 min.
15 min.
Introduce the concept of beginning “next steps”
by participating in a group planning activity.
✶ Divide participants into small groups.
✶ Ask participants to select practices within the
organization that they wish to modify. Each
group can decide which practice to focus on
for the purpose of this activity.
✶ Next, groups can set “targets,” or goals, for
the activity selected. Using the “Goal Planning”
worksheet, have each group complete its
planning process by deciding on the next
steps, commitments, time frame, lead person
for each activity, and so on.
Have each group post its plan on the wall; ask
participants to circulate and look at all the plans
that were developed.
✶ What practices were selected to be modified?
✶ What targets were set? Are they realistic?
✶ Will the plans, timelines, etc., be sufficient to
meet the goals?
✶ Which part of the planning worksheet was
the hardest to complete? Easiest? Why?
✶ How can you start to put these plans into
effect?
“Goal Planning”
worksheet
Pens
Tape

WORKSHEET: GOAL PLANNING
GOALS/TARGETS Next Steps/Plans/Commitments Time Frame Lead Person
1. 1.________________________________________________________
2.________________________________________________________
3.________________________________________________________
4.________________________________________________________
2. 1.________________________________________________________
2.________________________________________________________
3.________________________________________________________
4.________________________________________________________
3. 1.________________________________________________________
2.________________________________________________________
3.________________________________________________________
4.________________________________________________________
4. 1.________________________________________________________
2.________________________________________________________
3.________________________________________________________
4.________________________________________________________
5. 1.________________________________________________________
2.________________________________________________________
3.________________________________________________________
4.________________________________________________________

WHAT CONSTITUTES GOOD EVALUATION?
In 1994, the American Evaluation Association released a set of standards regarding what
constitutes good program evaluation. According to these standards, the four basic attributes
of sound program evaluation are utility, feasibility, propriety, and accuracy.
Utility
Utility standards are intended to ensure that an evaluation will be useful to stakeholders.
✶ Are all relevant stakeholders identified?
✶ Do the evaluators have credibility with stakeholders?
✶ Is the scope of the evaluation sufficient?
✶ Is the values orientation identified?
✶ Is the report clear and understandable?
✶ Are the data timely?
✶ Are the data usable?
Feasibility
Feasibility standards are intended to ensure that an evaluation will be realistic, prudent,
diplomatic, and frugal.
✶ Are procedures practical?
✶ Is the evaluation politically viable?
✶ Is the evaluation cost-effective?
Propriety
Propriety standards are intended to ensure that an evaluation will be conducted legally, ethically,
and with due regard for the welfare of those involved in the evaluation as well as of those affected
by its results.
✶ Is the evaluation conducted from a service orientation?
✶ Are formal agreements developed when needed?
✶ Are the rights of human subjects protected?
✶ Are human interactions appropriate?
✶ Is assessment fair and complete?
✶ Are evaluation questions, data collection methods, and all processes culturally sensitive and
appropriate?
✶ Are findings disclosed properly?
✶ Are conflict-of-interest issues addressed properly?
✶ Are evaluators fiscally responsible?

Accuracy
Accuracy standards are intended to ensure that an evaluation is conducted with technical rigor.
✶ Is the nature of the program described fully?
✶ Is the program context described fully?
✶ Are evaluation purposes and procedures described fully?
✶ Are information sources defensible?
✶ Is the information valid?
✶ Is the information reliable?
✶ Is information collected systematically?
✶ Is quantitative information analyzed appropriately?
✶ Is qualitative information analyzed appropriately?
✶ Are conclusions justified?
✶ Is the reporting of results impartial?
Take a few moments to clarify the meaning of these standards and to discuss how these
standards might apply to your evaluation. What steps could you take to ensure that appropriate
standards are met?
Young people grow from reflection and analysis. Lead a discussion with the community-building
team about how well the evaluation efforts met the evaluation standards described above.
What should the team do differently? How could the evaluation be improved?

S E C T I O N 6 : G L O S S A R Y / R E S O U R C E S / R E F E R E N C E S 93
Glossary/
Resources/
References
Glossary
Baseline Data: Information that is collected at the beginning of a program activity to determine
where youth and participants started in their skills, knowledge, or capabilities. Once this
information is gathered, it is possible to identify how youth and participants advanced in those
areas over the course of the program.
Case Study: A detailed description of a representative individual, event, or program.
Coding: The process of condensing and categorizing qualitative data through the identification
of common themes.
Data: Information collected in evaluation; it can consist of stories, numbers, words, pictures, or
other elements.
Document Review: Use of documents as a source of data. Document reviews often use portfo-lios,
budgets, performance ratings, program logs, tally sheets, and transcripts from community
meetings.
Findings: Knowledge provided by evaluations that summarizes the effectiveness of programs,
services, and activities. Findings offer a detailed look at how a program works.
Focus Group: A moderated group discussion on a particular issue or topic.
Frequency: The number of times that a given response or behavior occurs.
Indicators: Observable, measurable markers of the changes and benefits of program
participation.

94 S E C T I O N 6 : G L O S S A R Y / R E S O U R C E S / R E F E R E N C E S
Interview: Oral collection of data through specific, mostly open-ended questions. Interviews can
occur in person or over the phone.
Logic Model/Theory of Change: A summary of how a program works; it includes information on
how activities will lead to expected short-term and long-term outcomes.
Observation Guide: A checklist or structured format for observation.
Observation: A structured format for describing behavior, interactions, events, or activities.
Observations include anecdotes (i.e., stories) that describe observed behaviors or attitudes in
individual people.
Outcome Evaluation: Measurement of the impact of a program in relation to stated short-term
and long-term goals. Outcome evaluation may measure changes in knowledge, attitudes, and
behaviors of youth and community and often uses a quantitative approach.
Outcome (or Impact): Benefits or changes in individuals and communities as the result of a
program.
Participatory Evaluation: An evaluation approach that involves stakeholders throughout the
evaluation process.
Pretest–Posttest: A written or oral test that measures specific knowledge, behaviors, or skills
that the program is seeking to measure; the test is given before and after participants engage in
program activities.
Process Evaluation: Documentation of how well a program has been implemented and how well
it is functioning. May examine aspects such as program operations, the types and quality of
services, who provides services, what type of youth served, and so on. Identifies program
strengths and weaknesses.
Qualitative Data Analysis: Analysis of words, pictures, or descriptions of behaviors. Best
presented as “word stories” or “video stories.”
Qualitative Data: A record of thoughts, observations, opinions, stories, and words.
Qualitative Methods: Research methods that obtain non-numeric information, such as words,
pictures, and descriptions of behaviors. Qualitative data describe how a project functions and
what it may mean to the people involved. Examples of qualitative methods include open-ended
interviews, focus groups, observations, and documents.
Quantitative Data Analysis: Analysis of numbers, including survey responses that are assigned
numbers in the form of a “scale.” Best presented in the form of charts and graphs.
Quantitative Data: Numeric information, such as population, demographic, and income
statistics. Includes attitudinal and behavioral data gathered from surveys.

S E C T I O N 6 : G L O S S A R Y / R E S O U R C E S / R E F E R E N C E S 95
Quantitative Methods: Research methods that obtain information that can be counted or
measured. Examples include analysis of survey data that tracks the number of people involved
in project activity, the number of products or services provided, or the number of community
residents living below the poverty line.
Respondent: A person responding to questions in a survey or interview. Respondents in youth
programs are likely to be staff, youth participants, community members, or parents.
Sample: A subset of a population (e.g., individuals, records, communities) that represents key
characteristics of the general population.
Stakeholders: Those who care about and will be affected by what is learned from evaluation.
Storytelling: Use of quotations and detailed descriptions to capture the “story,” or essence, of
a program or event.
Survey: A written or oral series of clearly defined questions for a specific audience or survey
population. Questions are often close-ended (i.e., “forced choice”), providing a set of answer
choices to ensure easy analysis.
Validity: The strength of evaluation conclusions, inferences, or propositions. It is the degree to
which an instrument or evaluation approach measures what it is supposed to be measuring.
RESOURCES
The Planning and Evaluation Resource Center (PERC) website, www.evaluationtools.org, is an
online tutorial and clearinghouse of evaluation and planning tools created in partnership with
the Applied Developmental Science Institute at Tufts University. This dynamic website includes
evaluation and planning tools, tips, and opportunities to link with others looking to use
evaluation to strengthen community youth development programs.
Calvert, M., S. Zeldin, and A. Weisenbach. (2002). Youth Involvement for Community,
Organizational, and Youth Development: Directions for Research, Evaluation, and Practice.
Takoma Park, MD: Innovation Center for Community and Youth Development.
Irby, M., et al. (2001). Youth Action: Youth Contributing to Communities, Communities Supporting
Youth (Community and Youth Development Series, Vol. 6). Takoma Park, MD: Forum for Youth
Investment, International Youth Foundation.
London, J., K. Zimmerman, and N. Erbstein. (2003). Youth-Led Research and Evaluation: Tools for
Youth, Organizational, and Community Development. In K. Sabo (Ed.), Youth Participatory
Evaluation: A Field in the Making. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
University of Wisconsin Extension Service. Enhancing Program Performance with Logic Models.
Online course available at: www.uwex.edu/ces/lmcourse.

96 S E C T I O N 6 : G L O S S A R Y / R E S O U R C E S / R E F E R E N C E S
REFERENCES
American Evaluation Association. (1994). The Program Evaluation Standards. Available at:
www.eval.org/EvaluationDocuments/progeval.html.
American Evaluation Association. (1999). Guiding Principles for Evaluators. Available at:
www.eval.org/EvaluationDocuments/aeaprin6.html.
Fetterman, D. (1996). Empowerment evaluation: An introduction to theory and practice. In D.
Fetterman, S. Kaftarian, and A. Wandersman (Eds.), Empowerment Evaluation: Knowledge and
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