Assessing Program Outcomes: Rationale and Benefits of Posttest-then-Retrospective-Pretest Designs
The importance of program evaluation for decision making, accountability, and sustainability is examined in this article. Pros and cons of traditional pretest-posttest and posttest-then-retrospective-pretest methodologies are discussed. A case study of Utah’s 4-H mentoring program using a posttest-t...
Main Authors: | , , , |
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Clemson University Press
2007-06-01
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Series: | Journal of Youth Development |
Online Access: | http://jyd.pitt.edu/ojs/jyd/article/view/366 |
_version_ | 1797333540163026944 |
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author | James P. Marshall Brian J. Higginbotham Victor W. Harris Thomas R. Lee |
author_facet | James P. Marshall Brian J. Higginbotham Victor W. Harris Thomas R. Lee |
author_sort | James P. Marshall |
collection | DOAJ |
description | The importance of program evaluation for decision making, accountability, and sustainability is examined in this article. Pros and cons of traditional pretest-posttest and posttest-then-retrospective-pretest methodologies are discussed. A case study of Utah’s 4-H mentoring program using a posttest-then-retrospective-pretest design is presented. Furthermore, it is argued that the posttest-then-retrospective-pretest design is a valid, efficient, and cost-effective way to assess program outcomes and impacts. |
first_indexed | 2024-03-08T08:05:26Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-461d404c71884143afd7797ed44283c4 |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 2325-4017 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-03-08T08:05:26Z |
publishDate | 2007-06-01 |
publisher | Clemson University Press |
record_format | Article |
series | Journal of Youth Development |
spelling | doaj.art-461d404c71884143afd7797ed44283c42024-02-02T10:50:13ZengClemson University PressJournal of Youth Development2325-40172007-06-012111812310.5195/jyd.2007.366344Assessing Program Outcomes: Rationale and Benefits of Posttest-then-Retrospective-Pretest DesignsJames P. Marshall0Brian J. Higginbotham1Victor W. Harris2Thomas R. Lee3University of ArkansasUtah State UniversityUtah State UniversityUtah State UniversityThe importance of program evaluation for decision making, accountability, and sustainability is examined in this article. Pros and cons of traditional pretest-posttest and posttest-then-retrospective-pretest methodologies are discussed. A case study of Utah’s 4-H mentoring program using a posttest-then-retrospective-pretest design is presented. Furthermore, it is argued that the posttest-then-retrospective-pretest design is a valid, efficient, and cost-effective way to assess program outcomes and impacts.http://jyd.pitt.edu/ojs/jyd/article/view/366 |
spellingShingle | James P. Marshall Brian J. Higginbotham Victor W. Harris Thomas R. Lee Assessing Program Outcomes: Rationale and Benefits of Posttest-then-Retrospective-Pretest Designs Journal of Youth Development |
title | Assessing Program Outcomes: Rationale and Benefits of Posttest-then-Retrospective-Pretest Designs |
title_full | Assessing Program Outcomes: Rationale and Benefits of Posttest-then-Retrospective-Pretest Designs |
title_fullStr | Assessing Program Outcomes: Rationale and Benefits of Posttest-then-Retrospective-Pretest Designs |
title_full_unstemmed | Assessing Program Outcomes: Rationale and Benefits of Posttest-then-Retrospective-Pretest Designs |
title_short | Assessing Program Outcomes: Rationale and Benefits of Posttest-then-Retrospective-Pretest Designs |
title_sort | assessing program outcomes rationale and benefits of posttest then retrospective pretest designs |
url | http://jyd.pitt.edu/ojs/jyd/article/view/366 |
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