Qualitative Evaluation Methods

The emphasis throughout _Qualitative Evaluation Methods_ is on strategies for generating valid, useful, and credible qualitative information for decision-making. Different approaches to field observations, in-depth interviewing, and qualitative data analysis are explained; and examples of different research strategies are provided, including samples of qualitative instruments and excerpts from naturalistic inquiry reports. This book provides evaluators with the first comprehensive framework for deciding when it is appropriate to use qualitative evaluation methods. Patton's concrete approach represents a unique and much-needed contribution to the evaluation research literature. `a very good book indeed... I have read and re-read many parts of the text... Wit, thoughtfulness, graceful style, and practical advice are well mixed... a welcome contribution to the maturing of evaluation into an interdisciplinary field whose function in describing and understanding social programs is as important as its role in explaining or judging those programs′ -- Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis