Evaluation Ethics for Best Practice: Cases and Commentaries - Softcover

"A thoughtful, thorough approach. The book is well written, covers very important topics in the area of evaluation and assessment, and uses a creative approach to identify salient ethical issues in evaluation. Each chapter can stand alone, and some or all of them would be a wonderful supplement to a text for a course on evaluation."--John H. Schuh, Distinguished Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Iowa State University

"I really like the author's approach. Probably the most powerful aspect is the concrete, real-life scenarios that bring the subject matter to life. I can't say enough about how much is to be gained from this approach. I think the scenario exercises are a real stroke of genius, in that they allow the student to anticipate and to think ahead about what to do."--Geni Cowan, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, California State University, Sacramento

"This book is a great introduction to ethical dilemmas faced not only by evaluators, but also by their client organizations. The beauty of it is that it provides an opportunity to work out the different facets of how we do our work. Beyond the nuts and bolts of what to do, this book makes us think about how we do it. It encourages us to think it through and make decisions that support the integrity of evaluation."--Geni Cowan, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, California State University, Sacramento

"This book is a great way for students to learn the complexities of evaluation ethics in real-world settings! Realistic case studies with responses by different evaluators--both academics and practitioners--illustrate ethical dilemmas that can arise at every stage of the evaluation, and show how even experienced evaluators differ in the approaches and actions they take in each case. Other cases, without responses, give students the opportunity to practice their own skills."--Jody L. Fitzpatrick, coauthor of Program Evaluation: Alternative Approaches and Practical Guidelines; Graduate School of Public Affairs, University of Colorado at Denver

"This is an exceptionally thought-provoking book for students and practitioners at all levels. It was an informative, entertaining, and engaging read. I had a hard time putting it down. Students in my introductory program evaluation class reported that the cases in the book brought the AEA's Guiding Principles to life and helped them better understand the ethical (and other types of) decision making at the heart of evaluation practice. Reflecting on these cases helped these students prepare for effective evaluation practice."--Donald B. Yarbrough, Director, Center for Evaluation and Assessment, University of Iowa

"In the spirit of 'Ethical Challenges,' his well-known regular feature in the American Journal of Evaluation, Morris has assembled an interesting and compelling set of challenge scenarios and responses from leading contributors to the professional knowledge base. This book is a delightful addition to the shelves of evaluation practitioners and students. Morris walks us through ethical challenges and dilemmas associated with all aspects of the process, from planning evaluations to using their results. The thematic round up of cross-cutting issues in the final chapter moves the profession forward in realistic and thoughtful ways. Bravo!"--J. Bradley Cousins, Faculty of Education, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Editor, Canadian Journal of Program Evaluation

Focusing on ethical challenges in program evaluation, this innovative book features six case-study scenarios that end at a point where the evaluator faces a significant decision about how to proceed. For each case, two distinguished evaluators offer insights on the best course of action to choose, and why. ""What If?"" boxes modify the details of the scenarios, inviting readers to reflect on whether these changes alter the ethical implications of the case. Six additional cases are presented with questions that guide readers to develop their own ethical analyses. The book is organized to follow the progress of an evaluation, from the entry/contracting phase through the utilization of results.