Surveys are fantastic tools for evaluation. They help your organization determine what is working, what can be improved, and provide information to tell your story of impact. Surveys also allow for more complex analyses using descriptive and inferential statistics. This blog provides 5 tips for creating a survey when your organization is ready for evaluation and …
It’s hard to believe that 2017 is already over! REC was involved in so many different kinds of research and evaluation projects this past year. From early childhood education programs to evaluating services for older adults, REC was able to apply our quality research and evaluation skills to help the nonprofit community. As founder and …
Once you understand the difference between qualitative and quantitative data it is helpful to understand the variety of methods you can use to gather your data. Data collection methods are tools that help organizations collect quality data. When these tools are applied accurately, organizations can be confident in their data. The list below provides the most common …
You feel ready to collect data. You’ve figured out what question/s you need to answer are ready to select a method (i.e., survey, interview) to collect your data. Before taking this important step, let’s talk a bit more about qualitative and quantitative data. The previous post What is Quantitative and Qualitative Data? focused on the …
Two Types of Data When people discuss data, they typically describe it as either quantitative or qualitative. Yet, what is quantitative data? What is qualitative data? How are these two types of data different? Is one type of data better to use than the other? Why should this topic matter to purpose-driven organizations? This blog …
So you are excited to begin collecting quality data for your organization. That’s great! The information you collect has the power to demonstrate your impact, inform decisions, and improve your programs. Yet, what do you need to ask yourself before you get started? There are a number of methods to collect quality data. Some data …
When organizations collect poor data, they get poor results. Too often, I’ve seen examples of bad surveys, forms, and questionnaires that at best contain some useful information and at worst generate meaningless information. What’s the point of collecting data when it is incomplete, inaccurate, and riddled with error? How can organizations make good decisions when …
When I first began college, I thought that most of the information I found online was credible – especially when the author described findings from a research study. I assumed that if something were presented in the media using phrases like “researchers report that…” or “study finds that…”, it was true. What I learned over …
Identifying Quality Information in a Quantity World Read More »
Time has been on my mind a lot lately. My last post Getting Things Done focused on strategies to relax your mind so you can be more productive. This post provides some great advice I received when I was in graduate school that changed the way I manage and organize my time. Early in my …
Time is limited As you read this post, there are probably dozens of things you could, should, and wish you were doing for time management. There seems to be this endless flow of information, obligations, and unexpected events that pull us in multiple directions. Life can be overwhelming and the boundary between your work life …
