Executive Summary -- Introduction -- Step1: Engage Stakeholders -- Step 2: Describe the Program -- Step3: Focus the Evaluation Design -- Step 4: Gather Credible Evidence -- Step5: Justify Conclusions -- Step 6: Ensure Use of Evaluation Findings and Share Lessons Learned -- Glossary -- Program Evaluation Resources.

This document is a “how to” guide for planning and implementing evaluation activities. The manual, based on CDC’s Framework for Program Evaluation in Public Health, is intended to assist managers and staff of public, private, and community public health programs to plan, design, implement and use comprehensive evaluations in a practical way. The strategy presented in this manual will help assure that evaluations meet the diverse needs of internal and external stakeholders. Such needs include assessing and documenting program implementation, outcomes, efficiency and cost-effectiveness of activities, and taking action based on evaluation results to increase the impact of programs.

Suggested citation: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Office of the Director, Office of Strategy and Innovation. Introduction to program evaluation for public health programs: A self-study guide. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011

Stephen B. Thacker CDC Library collection