outcome Working through this process, you will identify the key themes and findings of the research. It is useful to do this as a group, or with someone else. You will find that you need to discuss and think through some of the issues, to really get to the core information. It is worth talking about your interpretations together, and testing each of issues such as: other’s thinking. Beware jumping to conclusions without supporting evidence not wanting to include or identify negative findings not wanting to include or identify mediocre findings Once you have worked through and analysed the data, it is worth summarising this to a set of key findings. Develop this as a draft to use for discussions for example, with the evaluation committee if – there is one; managers; participants; partnership organisations and so on. Building in a step in the process about discussion of key findings provides a valuable opportunity for further refinement of your thinking and presentation of the data. T O O L S T O U S E To assist in analysing the data, return to the evaluation indicators. Work through the questions in the example above, to ask yourself what evidence you collected. Remember, you will only need to use the evaluation indicators appropriate to the particular evaluation. Sample tools 3.2 3.4: Sample evaluation indicators – 5.1: Analysing evaluation data template C H E C K L I S T : Ha ve you: D collated the data you collected into manageable and logical chunks? D checked the data against the evaluation indicators? D discussed the data with some relevant people? D developed draft key findings? D presented or discussed the key findings with appropriate people?
outcome Working through this process, you will identify the key themes and findings of the research. It is useful to do this as a group, or with someone else. You will find that you need to discuss and think through some of the issues, to really get to the core information. It is worth talking about your interpretations together, and testing each other’s thinking. Beware of issues such as: jumping to conclusions without supporting evidence not wanting to include or identify negative findings not wanting to include or identify mediocre findings Once you have worked through and analysed the data, it is worth summarising this to a set of key findings. Develop this as a draft to use for discussions – for example, with the evaluation committee if there is one; managers; participants; partnership organisations and so on. Building in a step in the process about discussion of key findings provides a valuable opportunity for further refinement of your thinking and presentation of the data. T O O L S T O U S E To assist in analysing the data, return to the evaluation indicators. Work through the questions in the example above, to ask yourself what evidence you collected. Remember, you will only need to use the evaluation indicators appropriate to the particular evaluation. Sample tools 3.2 – 3.4: Sample evaluation indicators 5.1: Analysing evaluation data template C H E C K L I S T : Ha ve you: collated the data you collected into manageable and logical chunks? D checked the data against the evaluation indicators? D discussed the data with some relevant people? D developed draft key findings? D presented or discussed the key findings with appropriate people? D
Evaluating_Community_Arts_and_Wellbeing.docx