Explanation and Resources
for Each Assessment Step
1. Define the problem and
determine the purpose of the study.
Ask yourself why are we doing
this assessment? What specific circumstances or situation are
driving this assessment effort? What external or internal pressures
are driving assessment efforts? Perhaps you have a need to evaluate
the satisfaction and utilization of existing programs and services,
or to develop new programs and services.
Once the problem has been
identified and clarified, the next step is to design a study that gives
some insight into how to solve the problem.
2. Determine where
to get the information needed.
Information for assessment
can come from a variety of sources. Institutional or departmental
records may contain information needed to address the problem. However,
often the information needed will come directly from our consumers – students,
faculty, staff, or other community members that use our services. Examples
of common subjects used in student affairs/campus services assessment
include entering students, current students, exiting students, non-returning
students, alumni (one-year out, five-year out), faculty/staff, and
employers of graduates.
3. Determine the
best assessment method.
The best assessment method
depends on the purpose of the study. Basically, we have three
choices: Quantitative methods, Qualitative
methods, or a combination of both. Ask yourself “What
is the best way to get the information I need?” Given the information
you need, what is the best way to retrieve it? Generally, if
we need information about “what” is occurring, quantitative methods
are more appropriate. If we need information about “why” something
is occurring, qualitative measures are more appropriate.
4. Determine how
data will be collected.
Data can be collected in a
wide variety of ways, including questionnaires, telephone
surveys, individual interviews,
and focus groups.
5. Obtain Human
Subjects Review Board approval.
The Human Subjects Review
Board is charged with the responsibility of maintaining institutional
compliance with the U.S. Office of Human Research Protections (OHRP)
regulations regarding the use of human subjects in research. All
research that involves the use of humans (e.g., survey, experimental,
evaluation, biomedical research) must be approved by the Human Subjects
Review Board (HSRB), according to the University's Assurance of Compliance
Agreement with the Department of Health and Human Services. Information
and application materials can be found at http://www.wku.edu/Dept/Support/SponsPrg/grants/human.htm or
accessed by clicking the links highlighted in this section.
6. Collect data.
One of the things to consider
when you are ready to collect data is determining who will collect
the data. Obviously, people who are comptetent to do so should collect
data, but often the most qualified people are also those who have a
personal stake in the outcome. This is less of a problem with quantitative
methodologies, however in qualitative
methodologies data are interpreted and filtered by those who collect
it and bias can become an issue. What is the solution? Bias can be
reduced if those with a vested interest as well as those outside of
the particular project review the overall design. Also, student affairs/campus
services staff that have some background, education, and experience
in the area being assessed as well as data collection experience should
be selected to collect the data.
7. Record
and analyze data.
Does the term “statistical
analysis” strike fear in your heart? No worries! If you
need help in this area, please contact Donna
Gregory, Student Affairs and Campus Services Assessment Coordinator
for assistance. Basically, data analysis can be broken down into
four categories:
- Frequencies: describing
the data
- Cross tabulations: who
said what
- Basic statistics: group
difference
- Advanced statistics: data
reduction, factor identification, and causal modeling
8. Report the
results effectively, keeping in mind the implications for policy
and practice.
Ask, “How should the results
be reported?” “To whom should the study be reported”? It
is often helpful to prepare multiple reports when you have multiple
audiences so that each report can address specific information important
to each specific group. Executive summaries, which summarize
the study, its findings, and recommendations for policy and practice,
are also effective. Getting the results to the right people – those
who can do something about the problem studied – also is important. Offering
to discuss the results in greater detail in person may be appropriate.
The report of the assessment
results should spell out the implications of the study. What
approaches to solving the problem should be considered in the light
of the results? What policies and practices need to be revised,
eliminated, or created because of the findings? There should
be clear calls for actions that motivate the reader to do something
about the problem or issue that was at the basis of the assessment.
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