This section lists a number of books and journal articles for planning and conducting an evaluation. The books/articles are grouped into two categories:

• Environmental Education Evaluation
• General Evaluation
  

For each book/article, there is a designation of beginner, intermediate, and/or advanced. This indicates the skill level that each guide targets and should help in selecting the most appropriate resource(s).

Guides in each section are listed alphabetically by author.

Environmental Education Evaluation (3 resources)

• Practical Evaluation Guide: Tools for Museums & Other Informal Educational Settings.
  Diamond, J. (1999). New York: Altamira Press.
  Available at Barnes and Noble
  Beginner Intermediate
  This book is an excellent, easy-to-read guide for anyone seeking to evaluate an informal education program. Diamond provides practical advice on a broad range of topics including how to obtain informed consent, choose an appropriate sample, observe visitors’ behaviors, conduct an interview or survey, and measure learning. For each topic, Diamond discusses best practices and provides examples of actual instruments and tools. Most readers are also likely to find the chapter on how to present data useful.
• Conservation Education and Outreach Techniques.
  Jacobsen, S. K., McDuff, M.D. & Monroe, M.C. (2006). Cary: Oxford University Press.
  Available at Amazon
  Beginner
  This handbook of conservation education techniques includes strategies and tools for enhancing in-school programming, designing education activities for nonformal settings, marketing environmental messages, and using mass media to spread your conservation message. The description of each tool or strategy is accompanied by a brief discussion of things to consider when you begin your evaluation efforts.
• Evaluating Nonformal Education Programs and Settings.
  Norland, E., & Somers, C. (Eds.). (2005). New Directions for Evaluation, Winter: 108.
  Available at Jossey-Bass
  Advanced
  This issue of the New Directions for Evaluation journal “explores the issues that evaluators of nonformal education programs and settings (such as parks, zoos, community outreach organizations, and museums) struggle with.” Topics include the unique aspects of evaluating nonformal education settings, the different roles that a nonformal evaluator may need to play during an evaluation, and creative methods for addressing methodological challenges. A case study of a stakeholder-based, participatory approach to nonformal education evaluation is also presented.
  
  

General Evaluation (5 resources)

• Program Evaluation: Alternative Approaches and Practical Guidelines (3rd ed.).
  Fitzpatrick, J.L., Sanders, J.R., & Worthen, B.R. (2004). New York: Pearson Education, Inc.
  Available at Amazon
  Intermediate Advanced
  Newcomers and experts alike will find Program Evaluation: Alternative Approaches and Guidelines an invaluable reference for planning and conducting their evaluations. In part three of the book, Fitzpatrick, et al. address issues such as determining whether it's appropriate to evaluate, setting the boundaries of the evaluation, identifying the evaluation audience, and selecting evaluation questions and criteria. Part four of the book describes common designs and techniques for carrying out an evaluation as well as reporting and using its results. To help readers understand the nuances of these different techniques, case studies of different evaluations are included, accompanied by the authors' commentary.
  
• Evaluating Professional Development.
  Guskey, T.R. (2000). Thousand Oaks: Corwin Press, Inc.
  Available at Amazon
  Intermediate Advanced
  Guskey breaks down the process of evaluating professional development into five hierarchical levels: (1) participants’ reactions, (2) participants’ learning, (3) organizational support and change, (4) participants’ use of new knowledge and skills, and (5) student learning outcomes. For each level, Guskey discusses the importance of evaluating that level of outcome, the questions that should be addressed, the recommended processes and instruments for measuring and collecting information, and the ways in which collected data should be used. Several examples of instruments are provided.
  
• Qualitative Research & Evaluation Methods (3rd ed.).
  Patton, M. Q. (2002). Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.
  Available at Amazon
  Intermediate Advanced
  Written by one of the most respected qualitative evaluation experts, this book is an excellent resource for those wishing to learn the essentials of qualitative research. Patton divides his discussion into three parts: (1) conceptual issues in qualitative inquiry, (2) qualitative designs and data collection, and (3) analysis, interpretation, and reporting. Each section provides an abundance of examples and resources, delivered in a humorous way, making this text comprehensive and enjoyable to read.
  
• Evaluation: A Systematic Approach (7th ed.).
  Rossi, P.H., Lipsey, M. W., & Freeman, H. E. (2004). Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.
  Available at Amazon
  Intermediate Advanced
  This popular textbook guides readers through the basics of social program evaluation. Introductory chapters review what program evaluation is, how it should be tailored to each specific program, and how one can identify key program components worth evaluating. Subsequent chapters go into more depth about specific types of evaluation, including needs assessment, formative evaluation, summative evaluation, impact assessment, and cost-benefit analysis.
• Handbook of Practical Program Evaluation.
  Wholey, J.S., Hatry, H. P., & Newcomer, K.E. (Eds.). (1994). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
  Available at Barnes and Noble
  Intermediate Advanced
  

  This handbook is designed for evaluators who need to reliably demonstrate their program’s effectiveness but who lack the resources necessary to carry out a comprehensive, experimental evaluation. Some alternative evaluation designs discussed include qualitative approaches, quasi-experimental designs, and natural experiments. The book also provides guidance on the use of observations, surveys, and focus groups to collect data as well as several chapters on the use of statistics to demonstrate your program’s impact. The final section of the book reviews steps for managing your evaluation and describes effective ways to report and use your results.