Public Program Evaluation: A Statistical Guide

Readable and comprehensive, this text is designed to equip students and practitioners with the statistical skills needed to meet government standards regarding public program evaluation. Even those with little or no statistical training will find the explanations clear, with many illustrative examples, case studies, and applications. Far more than a cookbook of statistical techniques, the book begins with chapters on the overall context for successful program evaluations, and carefully explains statistical methods-and threats to internal and statistical validity-that correspond to each evaluation design. Laura Langbein then presents a variety of methods for program analysis, and advises readers on how to select the mix of methods most appropriate for the issues they deal with-always balancing methodology with the need for generality, the size of the evaluator's budget, the availability of data, and the need for quick results. Among this text's many important features: maintains a practical focus on doing evaluation; integrates research design with corresponding statistical/econometric estimation methods; uses examples from many policy fields, not just social services; uses examples from domestic programs as well as developing countries; links program evaluation to the larger field of policy analysis.