Evaluating sociodemographic data: implications for program planning and development

Sociodemographic data can have broad implications for program planning and development. Yet, such data are often obtained and analyzed in a non-rigorous methodological fashion. Four of these methodological issues are discussed in this paper. Their relevance for program planning and development are clarified, using examples from the utilization, needs assessment, illness behavior, and social functioning literature.     

The development of evaluation as a profession: Current status and some predictions

Sociological models of professionalization are applied to recent events in program evaluation in order to understand the development of the field and to predict future events. The focus is on problems that might arise and on the necessity of ameliorating them. The possibility of eliminating such problems is discounted since they appear to be integral elements of the process of professionalization. Major elements of the analysis include discussions of the consequences of the development of a specialized body of evaluation knowledge, the definition of evaluation tasks, exclusivity in the performance of those tasks, the development of professional associations, and problems in the training of evaluators. The reasons for problems in these areas are presented and the importance of being aware of the origin of the problems is discussed.