Books like Systematic thinking for social action by Alice M. Rivlin

A comprehensive guide to the research process in the social sciences, emphasizing practical tools and techniques.

Prom publisher's website: "Evaluation: A Systematic Approach, now in its seventh edition, has assumed the role of a true classic in its domain." -- LIBRARY & INFORMATION SCIENCE RESEARCH Since Peter H. Rossi, Mark W. Lipsey, and Howard E. Freeman first published Evaluation: A Systematic Approach, more than 100,000 readers have considered it the premier text on how to design, implement, and appraise social programs through evaluation. In this completely revised Seventh Edition, the authors include the latest techniques and approaches to evaluation as well as guidelines to tailor evaluations to fit programs and social contexts. This bestselling text covers the full range of evaluation topics, including: - Framing evaluation questions - Uncovering program theory - Studying implementation - Designing impact assessments - Assessing program costs and benefits - Understanding the politics of evaluating With decades of hands-on experience conducting evaluations, the authors provide scores of examples to help students understand how evaluators deal with various critical issues. They include a glossary of key terms and concepts, making this the most comprehensive and authoritative evaluation text available. Thoroughly revised, the Seventh Edition now includes: - Substantially more attention to outcome measurement - Lengthy discussions of program theory, including a section about detecting program effects and interpreting their practical significance - An augmented and updated discussion of major evaluation designs - A detailed exposition of meta-analysis as an approach to the synthesis of evaluation studies - Alternative approaches to evaluation - Examples of successful evaluations - Discussions of the political and social contexts of evaluation.