The Counterfactual Definition of a Program Effect

Autor/in	Reichardt, Charles S.
Titel	The Counterfactual Definition of a Program Effect
Quelle	In: American Journal of Evaluation, 43 (2022) 2, S.158-174 (17 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Reichardt, Charles S.)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1098-2140
DOI	10.1177/1098214020975485
Schlagwörter	Program Evaluation; Definitions; Causal Models; Evaluation Methods; Qualitative Research; Statistical Analysis; Validity + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Programme evaluation; Programmevaluation; Begriffsbestimmung; Kausalanalyse; Qualitative Forschung; Statistische Analyse; Gültigkeit
Abstract	Evaluators are often called upon to assess the effects of programs. To assess a program effect, evaluators need a clear understanding of how a program effect is defined. Arguably, the most widely used definition of a program effect is the counterfactual one. According to the counterfactual definition, a program effect is the difference between what happened after the program was implemented and what would have happened if the program had not been implemented, but everything else had been the same. Such a definition is often said to be linked to the use of quantitative methods. But the definition can be used just as effectively with qualitative methods. To demonstrate its broad applicability in both qualitative and quantitative research, I show how the counterfactual definition undergirds seven common approaches to assessing effects. It is not clear how any alternative to the counterfactual definition is as generally applicable as the counterfactual definition. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: http://sagepub.com
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01