ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book presents an overview of the assessment process. It discusses the purposes of social assessment and the particular problems and issues involved in the social assessment process. The book provides guidance on the use of social assessment research methods such as field trips, interviews, and surveys. Since the mid-1960s, a combination of national events and public values have caused renewed interest in communities and social change. The community as a functional social and administrative unit has reemerged as a central element in efforts to understand or control the processes of social change. The theoretical framework developed in the guide reflects this renewed emphasis on the community as a functional unit and the importance of community resources and social organization to the lives of their residents.
