The book introduces students and practitioners to all necessary concepts and tools used to evaluate programs and policies. It focuses on issues that arise when evaluating programs, using those offered by non-profit and governmental organizations serving different sectors (social services, health, education, social work) as case studies. Evaluation Essentials Evaluation Essentials is an indispensable text that offers an introduction to program evaluation. Examples of program descriptions from a variety of sectors including public policy, public health, non-profit management, social work, arts management, education, international assistance, and labor illustrate the book's step-by-step approach to the process and methods of program evaluation. Perfect for students as well as new evaluators, Evaluation Essentials offers a comprehensive foundation in the core concepts, theories, and methods of program evaluation. Beth Osborne Daponte-a leading authority in program evaluation-clearly shows how to form evaluation questions, describe programs using program theory and program logic models, understand causation as it relates to evaluation, use quasi-experimental design, and create meaningful outcome measures. The book offers appropriate approaches to collecting data and introduces readers to survey design and sampling. Daponte explores what it means to say that a program "causes" change to occur. Evaluation Essentials provides a rigorous introduction to quasi-experimental design, helps determine which designs are most appropriate for given situations, and explains the trade-offs between designs.