Short-Term Impact Evaluation

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Write a three to five page APA formatted research paper: What is the difference between process, short-term outcome, and long-term impact evaluations? What is the danger of conducting only short-term outcome and/or long-term impact evaluation, without process evaluation components? Process, short-term outcome, and long term impact has differences. According to the book, “process evaluation is documenting program implementation” (Hogan, Gabrielsen, Luna & Grothaus, 2003, p 214). In other words, professionals write down information based on things completed in a program. Short-term outcome “are the immediate program effects that are to be achieved soon after a program is complete” (Hogan, Gabrielsen, Luna & Grothaus, 2003, p 214). Short-term…show more content…
Short-term is different from process because it shows how a person change right after a program is complete. For instance, after completing the program the professional determined the client had some changes immediately after the program. Long-term outcome is different from short-term outcome because it has the “ultimate effects from the program”. For instance, years after completing the drug prevention program several of their clients are still drug free. Without process evaluation it can be hard to determine long-term or short-term outcome. This is because goals to the program is not written. “The long-term outcome or impact was the starting point for development” (proquest.com). The danger of conducting only short-term outcome is it only focus on what happens right after a program. At this point clients are trying to develop skills needed in order to finish the program. Questions need to be asked at the beginning and the end. This is why there is the need for short-term outcome and long-term outcome. “It is important in the beginning stages to ask questions such as what is our long-term desired result” (proquest). One might say the long term outcome of the program is to become nondependent on…show more content…
In general, short-term outcomes are measured at the end of the program or soon after the program has finished. Short-term outcomes refer to changes in knowledge, attitudes, or behaviors and can include reports of behaviors that participants intend to change or motivation to change” (extension.org) During the evaluation process we can find out what we expect the program to do. Whether it is to help a person become clean or help them in a mental way. All programs should have positive expectation when it is complete. Completing a program with short-term outcome could mean the person will receive some kind of assistance once the program is complete. When she completed her drug prevention program they offered her a place of employment and a place to live. This was the short-term outcome of completing the

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