Purposeful Program Theory / Research Methods for the Social Sciences (PDF)

Between good intentions and great results lies a program
theory--not just a list of tasks but a vision of what needs to
happen, and how. Now widely used in government and not-for-profit
organizations, program theory provides a coherent picture of how
change occurs and how to improve performance. Purposeful Program
Theory shows how to develop, represent, and use program theory
thoughtfully and strategically to suit your particular situation,
drawing on the fifty-year history of program theory and the
authors' experiences over more than twenty-five years.

"From needs assessment to intervention design, from
implementation to outcomes evaluation, from policy formulation to
policy execution and evaluation, program theory is paramount. But
until now no book has examined these multiple uses of program
theory in a comprehensive, understandable, and integrated way. This
promises to be a breakthrough book, valuable to practitioners,
program designers, evaluators, policy analysts, funders, and
scholars who care about understanding why an intervention works or
doesn't work." --Michael Quinn Patton, author,
Utilization-Focused Evaluation

"Finally, the definitive guide to evaluation using program
theory! Far from the narrow 'one true way' approaches to program
theory, this book provides numerous practical options for applying
program theory to fulfill different purposes and constraints, and
guides the reader through the sound critical thinking required to
select from among the options. The tour de force of the history and
use of program theory is a truly global view, with examples from
around the world and across the full range of content domains. A
must-have for any serious evaluator." --E. Jane Davidson, PhD,
Real Evaluation Ltd.

Companion Web site: josseybass.com/go/funnellrogers