Book Title: A primer on practice evaluation:How to participate in the process of evidence-based practice

Book Description

This primer supports social workers in learning the basics of evaluation as it relates to engaging in evidence-based practice at the micro, mezzo and macro levels. It is designed for students who have already had an introductory research methods course who are now engaged in an evaluation project or course. This primer is designed to support students in understanding the basics of practice evaluation techniques in a language that makes sense to them. Practice evaluation has two parts, the analysis of the efficacy of practice with clients (or client systems, such as groups, or communities) and the critical interpretation of practice evaluation results. Therefore, the book follows this format. The analysis of practice efficacy involves the careful design of evaluation studies and collection of evaluation data. This is followed by the careful analysis of client data (quantitative and/or qualitative). The critical consumption of evaluation results requires ‘fluency’ in interpreting basic statistical data as well as rigorous qualitative data analyses. In order to be ethical practitioners, social work practitioners need to be both practice evaluators and critical consumers of evaluation data. This simple primer presents this process in simple language designed to engage social work practitioners from an evidence-based practice perspective.