Peter H. Rossi: Formative for Program Evaluation

Autor/in	Lipsey, Mark W.
Titel	Peter H. Rossi: Formative for Program Evaluation
Quelle	In: American Journal of Evaluation, 28 (2007) 2, S.199-202 (4 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1098-2140
DOI	10.1177/1098214007299518
Schlagwörter	Program Evaluation; Evaluators; Evaluation Research; Evaluation Methods; Formative Evaluation; Change Agents; Profiles; Intellectual History; Phenomenology; Concept Formation + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Programme evaluation; Programmevaluation; Evaluationsforschung; Charakterisierung; Profilanalyse; Geistesgeschichte; Phenomenological psychology; Phänomenologie; Psychologie; Concept learning; Begriffsbildung
Abstract	This article discusses the significant contributions of Peter H. Rossi to the field of program evaluation. It was the publication of "Evaluation: A Systematic Approach" by Peter Rossi, Howard Freeman, and Sonia Rosenbaum in 1979 that most emphatically marked the point at which program evaluation had clearly consolidated as a distinct field of study with its own identity and repertoire of concepts, methods, and practices. This book was widely adopted as the primary text for courses in program evaluation taught across a spectrum of academic disciplines and quickly became the standard for the field. The evaluation textbook was not Peter's only formative influence on the development of program evaluation. Another very significant contribution was the series of seminal articles he and Huey Chen produced on the role of theory in evaluation. The main premise of these articles was that each social program embodies a theory of sorts--an action theory that reflects the assumptions inherent in the program about the nature of the social problem it addresses and the way it expects to bring about change in that problem. Chen and Rossi argued that evaluators should bring that theory to the surface and, if necessary, draw on other sources to further differentiate it. Aside from these, Peter was also a practicing evaluator who was involved in several landmark evaluation projects. Beginning with his earliest incarnation as an applied sociologist, the main theme of his scholarly career was the evaluation of social programs and related research. Most of this work focused on programs for the disadvantaged and disenfranchised. He conducted one of the most famous needs assessments of all times--a systematic survey to determine the number of homeless persons in Chicago and the circumstances that led to their condition. In his teaching, professional commentary, and evaluation research, Peter was an unstinting champion of using the strongest available methods to tackle questions about social programs. Peter was truly one of the founding fathers of program evaluation. (ERIC).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10