Between a Graph and a Hard Place

The Dynamic Data Duo: Quantitative and qualitative data, part 2

February 2021

In our last post we introduced you to the dynamic data duo—quantitative (number) and qualitative (story) data. Like any good superhero squad, each have their own strengths and weaknesses. Quantitative data can usually be collected and analyzed quickly, but can’t really yield nuanced answers. Qualitative data is great at that! However, it often takes a …

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Ready to meet your (data) match? Introducing number data and story data

January 2021

Hey, there! Welcome to 2021! We’re glad to see you here. It’s a new year and we’re ready to dive into research methods. Not what you expected to rejuvenate you in 2021? Well, hold on—research methods are actually pretty rad. First, though, what are they?  Research Methods Research methods are the different ways we can …

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Happy Holidays!

December 2020

We have loved having you all with us on our data journey! We are putting our blog series “Between a Graph and a Hard Place” on hold in December. We’ll be back in January with more exciting information about doing your own evaluation, including specific ways of collecting data like surveys, focus groups, and observations. …

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How to conduct a secondary research evaluation in four steps

December 2020

  In our last post, we assured you that it was possible to complete an evaluation without ever leaving your desk! So as promised, here’s how to conduct a secondary research evaluation in four simple steps. Remember, in the scenario in our last post, you are a youth services librarian at a rural public library …

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Conduct an Evaluation Without Ever Leaving Your Desk

November 2020

Are you ready to get your hands dirty and start evaluating? After covering outcomes, the logic model, evaluation questions, and research ethics, our next step is to start collecting data. I know many of you might be thinking, “But we’re still in a pandemic. How could we possibly do an evaluation now?” Well that’s one …

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Research Ethics: It’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt

November 2020

We’ve all heard the old adage “it’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt.” Although most people direct this phrase at children, it can just as well be applied to conducting research. It’s all ethical—until the risks outweigh the potential benefits. It’s all fair—until your participant compensation becomes coercion. It might seem like common …

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Not creeping continued: may we have this data?

October 2020

Welcome back! Last time we talked about how to protect the privacy of evaluation participants. Today we’re going to continue our discussion of research ethics with informed consent and how to work with vulnerable populations. Informed Consent In order to be a researcher and not a “creeper,” you need to: 1) ask for participants’ permission, …

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Research Ethics: How to collect data without being a creeper

October 2020

When you read the word “creeper,” you might think of something like this: “A person who does weird things, like stares at you while you sleep, or looks at you for hours through a window.” That definition of “creeper” was written by the user Danya at Urban Dictionary.  Both the examples mentioned in the definition …

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42: The answer to every bad evaluation question

September 2020

In the novel Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, a group of hyper-intelligent pan-dimensional beings build a supercomputer to ask the “ultimate question…the answer to life, the universe, and everything.” After waiting millions of years, the supercomputer tells them the answer to life, the universe, and everything is…42! Some might disagree, but the lesson here is …

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The Logic Model: Take it one step at a time

September 2020

When your organization designs a program, service or experience, it’s helpful to think intentionally. What do you hope happens? How would you know if it did? We wrote about determining the outcomes for your efforts last time. Identifying outcomes is an important first step in planning and evaluating a program, service or experience. What do …

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