ABSTRACT
Increasingly, studies are being conducted to assess the outcomes of projects, programs and policies associated with social interventions. A social intervention is an activity undertaken to produce an intended outcome. The investigation of a social intervention is called evaluation research. Evaluation research actually is a goal or objective rather than a method of data collection. To evaluate a social intervention, the researcher must know the intended outcome(s). However, individuals involved with a social intervention do not always agree on an outcome, its definition and measurement, and the time period required to achieve it. Good evaluation research is planned in advance; in fact, many agencies that fund programs require that the written proposals include a formal evaluation plan. An evaluation component, designed to assess changes in the knowledge, attitudes and behavior of the school populations, was built into the project from the outset.
