Eval Academy's Top 10 Posts and Resources of 2023
To celebrate the end of the year, we’ve highlighted Eval Academy’s top ten posts and resources from 2023.
What posts or resources would you like to see in 2024? Comment below, tweet us @EvalAcademy or connect with us on LinkedIn!
Top posts of 2023
10. What you need to know about member checking
While member checking is commonly used in qualitative research, it’s less commonly used in evaluation and we think that should change! In this article, we review what member checking is and why, when, and how you should use it.
9. But really, how do I use the RE-AIM Framework?
In this article, Bonnie shares her account of how to use the RE-AIM framework in your evaluation planning, implementation, and reporting.
8. Everything you need to know about Likert scales
The Likert scale is one of the more commonly used rating scales in surveys. As evaluators, we should know a thing or two about it, and how to navigate some of the decisions involved in using a Likert scale. This article introduces Likert scales and how to use them.
You might have noticed how there seem to be quite a few evaluation tools doing very similar things. It’s no surprise that these tools can sometimes be confused, and the lines can be blurred around when and how to use them. To help you on your way to deciding which tool is best suited to our evaluation, this article compare and contrasts few of our favourites.
6. Evaluation question examples by type of evaluation
This article takes a look at how using different evaluation strategies or frameworks can help you to craft perfect evaluation questions.
5. Evaluation question examples
A blank page can intimidate any writer. The same goes for evaluators – that “evaluation questions” column in your evaluation plan may be daunting. This article takes a look at examples of real-world evaluation questions that might just inspire your own.
4. How to write good evaluation questions
The article outlines essential considerations for writing effective evaluation questions, emphasizing the need for questions to align with the evaluation's purpose and involve stakeholder collaboration. The article provides guidance on the optimal number of questions, suggests the use of thematic clusters, and underscores the importance of language precision in crafting questions, concluding with indicators of well-crafted questions and next steps in the evaluation process.
3. How to complete an environmental scan: avoiding the rabbit holes
This article is aimed at those who are new to environmental scanning and are looking for new ways to support program planning and improvement.
2. Finding the right sample size (the hard way)
For those interested in calculating sample sizes by hand, or getting a better understanding of the math behind many sample size calculators, this article outlines the formulae used to calculate sample sizes.
1. Interpreting themes from qualitative data: thematic analysis
This article supports evaluators who are new to qualitative data analysis. We start by defining thematic analysis, then give you a 5-step process to complete your own analysis. We end the article by highlighting some common challenges with thematic analysis.
Top resources of 2023
10. Focus group moderation guide template
You have important questions to ask in your next focus group. Use this template to make sure you don’t miss a thing including logistical details, housekeeping, consent verification, and closing comments. This fully editable template will download as a Word document.
9. Interview tracking log – Excel template
An Interview Tracking Log is a tool to use when collecting qualitative data through interviews to keep track of participant recruitment. This customizable Tracking Log in Excel can be used by anyone completing interviews and should be modified to capture project-specific information such as relevant participant demographics.
8. Interview guide template – standard interview
Evaluators often use interviews to collect data. Strong interview data relies on a consistent interview process—that’s where this interview guide comes in. You’ll find yourself using this template over and over to structure your questions and provide prompts for interviewers to get deeper into interviewees’ perspectives. This template downloads as a fully editable Word document.
7. Evaluation kick-off meeting agenda template
This customizable resource provides an agenda template for an "Evaluation Kick-off Meeting" for a program or project. The meeting aims to initiate the evaluation process and includes various activities such as introductions, identification of team members and their roles, clarification of program goals, evaluation planning, and communication strategies. The template downloads as a Word document.
6. Developing a Logic Model (template)
This customizable template serves as a guide for creating a Logic Model for a program. The document includes sections explaining the purpose of a Logic Model, and the facilitating questions cover topics like needed resources, program activities and outputs, the intended reach of these outputs, short-term, medium-term, and long-term outcomes, impact, and external influences and assumptions. The template provides a structured format for users to input their answers to these questions, creating a comprehensive Logic Model that can be presented as a flowchart. This template downloads as a Word document.
5. Program evaluation scoping guide
This guide is intended for anyone conducting an evaluation of a program to understand the scope of the evaluation. The guide outlines questions evaluators can ask program managers or other stakeholders to better understand the scope of the program and its evaluation. The questions in the guide are intended to help evaluators begin formulating a quote and/or an evaluation plan; however, it can also be used identify disagreements or gaps in what is known about the program and/or the boundaries of the evaluation. This resource downloads as a Word document.
This customizable template provides a structured framework for developing a Theory of Change for a program. The document guides the user through the process of defining the program's purpose, its intended impact, and the activities required to achieve that impact. The goal is to create a comprehensive understanding of the program's logic and context, aiding in the development of measurement and evaluation approaches. Downloads as a Word document.
3. Evaluation question checklist
This checklist acts as a tool to score your evaluation questions. This resource downloads as a Word document.
This template includes all the sections needed in an evaluation plan including background, assumptions, evaluation purpose and scope, data collection methods, and reporting products, with prompts to help jump start your thought process. This file will download in fully editable Word format.
1. Canva design templates for creating your own Logic Model
Create your own logic model using our FREE pre-made Canva templates. This fully customizable template is available online on Canva through our download link.