program Evaluation Proposal

Problem-Based Learning/Research – Program Evaluation Proposal Requirements

Students will select a public policy or program, then describe how they would propose to evaluate the policy or program by employing the methods, techniques, etc., which are covered in the course.

Paper Proposal, Thesis Exercise and Research Questions:

Prior to writing your evaluation proposal. You must submit a 1- page paper proposal (double spaced) describing your project. You will also be required to complete a thesis exercise that will help to build a proper thesis and develop the research questions (form embedded in this syllabus). While these are ungraded activities they allow for useful feedback from your instructor. Your paper proposal and thesis exercise are due by 11:55 pm on March 22, 2020.

Policy or Program Evaluation Proposal (20% of course grade):

Students will select a policy or program to be evaluated, either from the list which follows or one of their own choosing. You may consider a topic that is applicable to your capstone project. All policy/program topics must be approved by the instructor. Then, students will describe how they would plan/propose to evaluate the policy or program by employing the methods, techniques, etc., which are covered in the course. Do not evaluatethe policy or program, you are only expected to describe how you would go about evaluating the policy or program. The proposal must be 8-10 typed, double-spaced pages in length with standard one-inch margins all around and 12point font. Otherwise, general formatting should follow APA style. Cover page and reference pages do not count towards the 8-10-page requirement. The instructor’s evaluation of each proposal will be based on the elements of the preparation guidelines included in this syllabus. Also, you are encouraged to read the evaluation of Curious George article at:https://www-tc.pbs.org/parents/curiousgeorge/program/pdf/Curious_George_Evaluation.pdf

before writing your own evaluation proposal.

Acceptable topics include, but are not limited to:

The property tax to fund government services in Florida

Property/windstorm insurance reform in Florida

The Florida state lottery

FCAT

The privatization of Florida’s toll roads

Health care and insurance

Childcare

The federal No child Left Behind Act

Seatbelt laws

Privatization of public services (pick one privatized service)

Enforcement of traffic laws and accidents

Water usage and restrictions

Water quality regulation

Hazardous waste disposal

Programs designed to reduce recidivism

Neighborhood watch programs

Immigration reform or…. You are encouraged to select a topic that is applicable to your capstone

Your proposal should address the following questions or issues. In all cases, defend or justify your answers or procedures, especially with specific references to relevant concepts, ideas, or passages in the assigned readings for the course, as well as to the references which you may have found in your library search. This assignment is not based on opinions, therefore academic sources must be utilized, and it ought to be written in the third person.

Preparation Guidelines for the Policy/Program Evaluation Proposal

Each of the items in BOLD must be listed as a heading or a sub-heading in your evaluation proposal. If a question/issue does not apply, please explain why. The final product must include the following:

• Cover Page (consult an APA style guide)
• Abstract (no more than 1 page, gives a brief overview of the contents of your paper, the abstract is written last after you have completed your entire paper)

• Introduction (2-3 pages in length)
• Include your thesis statement in first or second paragraph.
• Describe or summarize the policy or program which you intend to evaluate.
• What are the goals or desired outcomes of the policy or program?
• Why are the goals or outcomes important?
• Include your research questions at the end of the introduction.

• Literature Review (3-4 pages in length)
• This section of your paper corresponds directly to your research questions. Each question should be reflected in sub-headings in your literature review. If you don’t have a research question about “it” don’t include “it” in your paper.
• How have other researchers attempted to evaluate the policy or program? What were their conclusions? What might be replicated in your evaluation?
• What theory or theories connect the policy or program to its goals or desired outcomes?

• Methodology (2-4 pages in length, this is how you are going to evaluate this program/policy in the future)
• Of all the evaluation techniques you have learned in the course which one will you use to evaluate your policy or program?
• Is an experimental design relevant to your evaluation? If so, how? What form? If not, why not?
• Is your evaluation a process evaluation or an outcome evaluation? Why? How?
• What are the principal components of your evaluation design?

Study Variables

• Name your dependent, independent, and control variables.

Data Collection

• Name your unit(s) of analysis.
• How do you propose to measure the factors, variables, goals, or outcomes which are relevant to your evaluation?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of your proposed measures?

Sampling and Survey Instruments

• What are the principal sources of data and information which you propose to employ?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of your proposed sources?

Data Analysis

• How do you propose to analyze and to interpret the data and information which you collect? In other words, how will your analysis and/or interpretation show that the policy or program goals or outcomes have or have not been achieved?

Conclusion (2-3 pages in length)

• Analyze what you have learned and inform the reader (No real analysis will be done).
• What policy or programmatic recommendations might emerge from your evaluation?
• References (must be in APA style, not all citation generation programs will produce a correct APA reference page, you must double check)