When you login to SAMMIE, you will start with the "orientation" module. This will give you an overview of SAMMIE, and the tools you will find in each module. Then, we recommend you go through the first 6 modules in sequential order. After that, you can click on any of the modules based on your needs and interests.
List of SAMMIE module topics
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What Can Evaluation Do for You?
This first module addresses the question "why evaluate?" or perhaps "why bother to evaluate?"
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Stages of Evaluation
Evaluating a program is much different than conducting the program. Learn what you must do to get your program ready to be evaluated.
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Getting Everybody on Board
Sometimes people will resist the idea of evaluation. This module will help you understand and overcome this resistance.
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Developing a Logic Model
How is your program supposed to bring about desired outcomes? A logic model answers this question and lays the foundation for a useful evaluation.
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Asking Evaluation Questions and Setting Standards for Success
How will you know if your program is effective? In this module, you learn about establishing criteria for judging the success of your program.
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Ethical Issues
Whenever data is collected from people, it is imperative that their rights be protected. Learn about your responsibilities in this process.
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Evaluation Design I
In most evaluations, you need to compare the results from your program participants to results from some other group. Who should be in this other group? Learn about your choices.
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Evaluation Design II
Learn how to design your evaluation so you can determine if a program is effective for current participants and if it is likely to be successful for future participants.
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Data Collection and Analysis Strategies
Learn about your options in terms of how to collect needed information and how to make sense of it once you have collected it.
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Quantitative Methodologies – Survey Methodology
Surveys are everywhere! But high quality surveys are not. Learn how to make sure that your survey is appropriately conducted.
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Quantitative Methodologies – Questionnaire Design
Poorly worded questions collect worthless information. Learn how to put together a good questionnaire.
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Quantitative Methodologies – Web-Based Surveys
This module highlights the rapidly expanding use of computer technology to collect survey data through web-based questionnaires.
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Quantitative Methodologies – Sampling
This module focuses on how to choose the participants in your evaluation so that they are similar to the groups they represent.
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Quantitative Methodologies – Descriptive Statistics
What are descriptive statistics? And how can you use them in your evaluation? Find out here.
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Quantitative Methodologies – Techniques for Comparing Groups
To prove that your program made a difference, most often you need to compare your group with another. This module discusses the statistics you can use to compare groups.
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Qualitative Methodology – Individual Interviews
Talking to people is the age-old way of collecting information. This module helps you conduct the most effective interviews possible.
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Qualitative Methodology – Focus Groups
Focus groups are one of the best ways to identify new ideas and a variety of opinions. Learn how to conduct focus groups effectively.
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Qualitative Methodology – Observations
You need to do more than just “keep your eyes open” to make systematic observations. Learn about the steps you need to take.
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Qualitative Analysis
How can you make sense of all those words that you collected from interviews, focus groups, or observations? Learn about your options.
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Interpreting Your Findings
All of your efforts are for nothing if you cannot interpret the results of your evaluation so that they are useful to the program’s stakeholders. Learn how.
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Reporting Your Results
How to present a written report on your results is the focus of this module.
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Enhancing the Use of Your Evaluation Results
Make sure that your evaluation results don’t just end up in the "circular file". This module provides strategies for enhancing the use of your results.