We have included recommended readings at the end of each chapter, and an expanded glossary for quick reference and study. We have added sections on important areas such as gathering data from young children, working with persons of other languages or cultural traditions, and conducting surveys via the Internet. We have expanded our coverage of ethics in guiding evaluation decisions. We wish to give special thanks to our colleagues and friends at the University of South Florida and Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, for their help, support, and occasional inspiration in preparing the second edition. We are deeply appreciative.
Evaluation can be an enjoyable and exciting challenge.
This potential is especially realized if evaluators work in concert with other program stakeholders to develop a responsive and useful evaluation plan. To conduct evaluations under these circumstances is a pleasure, and the delivery of a timely report to the sponsoring agency is a rewarding achievement. This satisfaction extends for us in the process of writing this book. We hope that you will enjoy the ride down the hill, and will, at the end, be both a better consumer of evaluation reports, and a person confident in initiating your own evaluation projects. The McGraw-Hill Companies.