The proposal must be 10-15 typed, APA style, double-spaced pages in length with standard one-inch margins all around and 12- point font.
Cover page and reference pages do not count towards the 10-15-page requirement
Preparation Guidelines for the Policy/Program Evaluation Proposal
Each of the items in BOLD must be listed as a heading or a sub-heading in your evaluation proposal. If a question/issue does not apply, please explain why. The final product must include the following:
Cover Page APA style
Abstract (no more than 1 page, gives a brief overview of the contents of your paper, the abstract is written last after you have completed your entire paper)
Introduction (2-3 pages in length) Include your thesis statement in first or second paragraph. Describe or summarize the policy or program which you intend to evaluate. What are the goals or desired outcomes of the policy or program? Why are the goals or outcomes important? Include your research questions at the end of the introduction.
Literature Review (3-5 pages in length) This section of your paper corresponds directly to your research questions. Each question should be reflected in sub-headings in your literature review. If you don’t have a research question about “it” don’t include “it” in your paper. How have other researchers attempted to evaluate the policy or program? What were their conclusions? What might be replicated in your evaluation? What theory or theories connect the policy or program to its goals or desired outcomes?
Methodology (2-4 pages in length), this is how you are going to evaluate this program/policy in the future) Of all the evaluation techniques you have learned in the course which one will you use to evaluate your policy or program? Is an experimental design relevant to your evaluation? If so, how? What form? If not, why not? Is your evaluation a process evaluation or an outcome evaluation? Why? How? What are the principal components of your evaluation design?
Study Variables : Name your dependent, independent, and control variables.
Data Collection ▪ Name your unit(s) of analysis. ▪ How do you propose to measure the factors, variables, goals, or outcomes which are relevant to your evaluation? ▪ What are the advantages and disadvantages of your proposed measures?
Sampling and Survey Instruments ▪ What are the principal sources of data and information which you propose to employ? ▪ What are the advantages and disadvantages of your proposed sources?
Data Analysis ▪ How do you propose to analyze and to interpret the data and information which you collect? In other words, how will your analysis and/or interpretation show that the policy or program goals or outcomes have or have not been achieved?
Conclusion (2-3 pages in length) Analyze what you have learned and inform the reader. What policy or programmatic recommendations might emerge from your evaluation?
References (must be in APA style, not all citation generation programs will produce a correct APA reference page.