Program Evaluation Manuscript Title

• Use a title that clearly reflects the nature of the project. (Consider key terms in a literature search.)

Abstract

• Provide an abstract of up to 120 words

Introduction/Background

This section provides a context for the program evaluation study.

• Present the specific problem in a statement which tells the reader what you are attempting to evaluate.
• Directly connect the purpose of the study to the problem.
• Restrict the study to specific research questions (e.g. Were there differences in student performance between students who were pre-tested with the departmental final versus those who were not?)

Review of Literature

The Review Section demonstrates logical continuity between previous and present work that will help the reader evaluate your program evaluation's findings.

• Provide a review of earlier work that includes an appropriate history and recognized the priority of others. Relate the opinions to any conflicting points of view and differences in base assumptions.
• Provide information that will formulate appropriate alternatives and recommendations for resolving the problem.
• Present the literature that develops a rationale for your research.
• Help the reader evaluate the findings in the literature by directly relating them to your program evaluation research.
• State the research questions. (Show the relationship between the research questions and the problem.)

Methodology

The Methodology Section tells what you did and how you did it. The reader can then evaluate the validity of your findings, consider the appropriateness of your methods, and reasonably replicate your study.

• Begin with a brief overview of the program being evaluated, including  the specific setting.
• Identify the population and sample for the study.
• Report major demographics.
• Identify the evaluation as summative, formative, or a mixture of the two
• Identify the program evaluation theory being used, describing its appropriateness to your program evaluation.
• Describe any apparatus or materials/instruments used and their function in the study, describing the instrument(s) and detailing their appropriateness,  reliability, and validity (when applicable).
• Detail how the data will be analyzed, in an organized fashion
• Describe the systems used for keeping track of data and emerging understandings (i.e., research logs, reflective journals, cataloging systems)
• Provide adequate measures to protect human subjects
• Include information essential to replicate or comprehend the study.
• Summarize each step in the research including instructions to the participants.
• Detail how the data will be analyzed, organized by research question.

Findings

In the Analysis Section, state information objectively; do not make inferences.

• Provide information on demographics, statistics, tables and figures.
• Include all relevant results, including those that are counter to your study 
• Present findings  organized by research question
• After presenting the results for each section, be sure to include a summary that answers the question.
• Include statistical treatment of data.
• When reporting inferential statistics, include information that describes magnitude or value, probability, and degrees of freedom.  

Conclusions

The Conclusion should evaluate and interpret the findings in relation to the original research questions.

• Make a clear statement of the responses to the original research questions.
• Draw inferences from your result and state appropriate limitations.
• Identify similarities and differences between your results and those in the literature review to clarify and confirm your conclusions.

Recommendations

The Recommendations show how the results of the program evaluation can be used.

References

• Include sources in the reference list for all citations in the manuscript.
• Ensure that all references are cited in the text.

Appendix(ces)

The Appendix(ces) contains copies of all items used in the program evaluation: instruments, emails, letters, interview and focus group protocols, observation checklists, etc.