ABSTRACT
Evaluation research has much in common with other types of research, and it can take many forms and use many approaches including qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods, experimental, and quasi-experimental research designs. In fact, program evaluation is simply a research project in which much of the purpose is already defined by the program to be evaluated and the requirements of the granting agency. First, program evaluation is almost always applied research. Second, new programs are, or should be, based on a needs assessment. Third, the programs, which are analogous to treatments in an experiment, are usually subject to change during the course of the evaluation. The final program evaluation research report should provide an overview of the needs assessment that led to the development of the program, the results of the formative evaluation, and data from the summative evaluation.
