Comparative and Evaluation Research

COMPARATIVE
AND
EVALUATION
RESEARCH
By:
Dens Lister M. Mahilum
WHAT IS COMPARATIVE
RESEARCH?
Comparative Research is the act of
comparing two or more things with a view to
discovering something about one or all of the
things being compared.
This method provides an explanation
about the extent of relationship
between two or more variables.
What are its main purposes?
Comparison is used to determine,

conclude and quantify relationships
between two or more variables by
observing different groups that either by
choice or circumstance are exposed to
different treatments.
What are its main characteristics?
Comparison includes both retrospective studies that

look at events that have already occurred, and
prospective studies, that examine variables from the
present forward.
Comparative research is similar to experimentation

in that it involves comparing a treatment group to a
control, but it differs in that the treatment is observed
rather than being consciously imposed due to ethical
concerns, or because it is not possible, such as in a
retrospective study.
What are its limitations?
 One of the primary limitations of comparative
methods is the control of other variables that might
influence a study
 Difficult to control for all factors
 Requires quantifiable data if statistical comparison is

desired
 Needs baseline data or control group

What are general guidelines for
designing it?
 identify and define the problem,
 Survey the literature relating to the problem
 Select a group that has the independent variable (the experimental

group) and then select another group of subjects that does not have
the independent variable (the control or comparison group).
 Formulate a hypothesis and define basic terms and variables.
 Construct an experiment plan

Comparative Quantitative
Quantitative, or experimental, research is characterized

by the manipulation of an independent variable to
measure and explain its influence on a dependent
variable.
 Because comparative research studies analyze two different

groups -- which may have very different social contexts -- it is
difficult to establish the parameters of research. Such studies might
seek to compare, for example, large amounts of demographic or
employment data from different nations that define or measure
relevant research elements differently.
Comparative Qualitative
 Qualitative, or nonexperimental, is characterized by

observation and recording outcomes without
manipulation. In comparative research, data are
collected primarily by observation, and the goal is to
determine similarities and differences that are related
to the particular situation or environment of the two
groups.
How to collect research data?
 By observation
 Through personal interviews
 Through telephone interviews
 By mailing of questionnaires
How to analyze its research data?
 Through Descriptive Statistics and inferential Statistics
 The most commonly used descriptive statistics are:

 Mean
 Standard deviation
 The most commonly used inferential statistics are:

 T-test
 ANOVA
 Chi square
Evaluation research
Definitions :
 Evaluation research, sometimes called program evaluation, refers to a

research purpose rather than a specific method.
 This purpose is to evaluate the impact of social interventions such as

new treatment methods, innovations in services, and a host of others.
 Evaluation research is a form of applied research—it is intended to

have some real-world effect.
Research Evaluation
Production of generalizable Knowledge intended for use
knowledge Program- or funder-derived
 Researcher-derived questions questions
Paradigm stance  Judgmental quality
More controlled setting Action setting
Clearer role Role conflicts more likely
 Often published Often not published
Clearer allegiance Multiple allegiances
“Research seeks to prove, evaluation
seeks to improve… ”
-M.Q. Patton
Characteristics and principles of
Evaluation
 Childers (1989, p. 250), in his article emphasizing the
evaluation of programs, notes that evaluation research
 is usually employed for decision making;

 deals with research questions about a program;
 takes place in the real world of the program; and
 usually represents a compromise between pure and applied
research.
5 basic evaluation Questions
1. What will be assessed?
2. What measures/indicators will be used?
3. Who will be evaluated?
4. What data will be collected?
5.How will data be analyzed?

Types of Evaluation
research
Summative and Formative
evaluation research
Summative evaluation
research
 seeks to understand the outcomes or

effects of something.
Formative evaluation
 used to help strengthen or improve the

person or thing being tested.
 For example where a test of children in

school is used to shape teaching methods
that will result in optimal learning.
What will be evaluated?
Formative (aka Process) Evaluation:
 Done to help improve the project itself. Gather
information on how the project worked.
 Data is collected about activities: What was done.
Summative (aka Outcome) Evaluation:

 Done to determine what results were achieved.
 Data is collected about outcomes (objectives; goals):
What happened.
What Measures Will Be
Used?
Formative Evaluation:
 Completion of planned activities
 Adherence to proposed time lines
 Meeting budget
Summative Evaluation:
 Reaching a criterion
 Change in knowledge, attitude, skill, behavior
Who will be evaluated?
 Those responsible for doing activities/delivering
services and those participating in activities.
 Faculty
 Agency personnel and Students
 Those who were expected to be impacted by
activities.
 Students
 Clients
What data will be collected?
 Program records
 Observations
 Activity logs
 Satisfaction surveys
 Observations
 Interviews
 Tests
 Surveys/questionnaires
How will data be analyzed?
Qualitative analysis (more for formative)
 Self-reports
 Documentation
 Description
 Case Study
Quantitative analysis (more for summative)

 Group comparison
 Group change
 Individual change
 Comparison to population/reference
 Analysis of relationships
To Sum it up….
Comparative Research is the act of comparing two or more
things with a view to discovering something about one or
all of the things being compared. But there is no
methodology peculiar to this kind of research.
Evaluation research is appropriate whenever some social

intervention occurs or is planned.
In its simplest sense, evaluation research is the process of
determining whether a social intervention has produced
the intended result.

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COMPARATIVE

Comparison is used to determine,

Comparison includes both retrospective studies that

Comparative research is similar to experimentation

 Difficult to control for all factors

 Requires quantifiable data if statistical comparison is

 Needs baseline data or control group

 Survey the literature relating to the problem

 Select a group that has the independent variable (the experimental

 Formulate a hypothesis and define basic terms and variables.

 Construct an experiment plan

Quantitative, or experimental, research is characterized

 Because comparative research studies analyze two different

 Qualitative, or nonexperimental, is characterized by

 Through personal interviews

 Through telephone interviews

 The most commonly used descriptive statistics are:

 The most commonly used inferential statistics are:

 Evaluation research, sometimes called program evaluation, refers to a

 This purpose is to evaluate the impact of social interventions such as

 Evaluation research is a form of applied research—it is intended to

 is usually employed for decision making;

2. What measures/indicators will be used?

3. Who will be evaluated?

4. What data will be collected?

5.How will data be analyzed?

 seeks to understand the outcomes or

 used to help strengthen or improve the

 For example where a test of children in

Summative (aka Outcome) Evaluation:

Quantitative analysis (more for summative)

Evaluation research is appropriate whenever some social

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