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Session Title: Extending the Value of Extension Work: Publishing Evaluation-Related Journal Articles
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Panel Session 557 to be held in Pacific B on Friday, Nov 4, 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM
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Sponsored by the Extension Education Evaluation TIG
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| Chair(s): |
| Allison Nichols, West Virginia University Extension, ahnichols@mail.wvu.edu
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| Abstract:
Most of us would agree that it is important to publish evaluation-related articles in professional journals because it spreads the news about our good work, informs new programming, and establishes us as academic professionals. Many of us, however, are intimidated by the process of writing and submitting an article for publication. Some might even feel that journal editors will be less likely to react favorably to an article about an evaluation process than they would about an article based on a research project. Each panel member has had experience writing and publishing articles in peer-reviewed journals both on the craft of evaluation and on individual evaluation projects. They will share their experiences and make recommendations about how best to get evaluation work in print.
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Publishing Articles About the Craft of Evaluation
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| Marc Braverman, Oregon State University, marc.braverman@oregonstate.edu
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Marc Braverman and three colleagues edited the Winter 2008 volume of New Directions for Evaluation, on evaluation in Extension, and wrote an article in that issue with Mary Arnold, on making decisions about evaluation rigor. He also published an article with Molly Engle in June 2009 in Journal of Extension on theory and rigor in Extension program evaluation. In 2004, he edited a book entitled Foundations and Evaluation, Jossey-Bass. He will describe characteristics of the Extension system that make it a valuable backdrop for exploring evaluation theory and practice. He also will suggest that manuscript submissions will meet with greater success if they pay attention to the larger framework in which the Extension evaluation takes place, that is, the value the evaluation study may have for a wide range of journal readers.
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Publishing Articles About Agriculture Program Evaluation
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| Rajinder Peshin, Sher-e-Kashmir University, rpeshin@rediffmail.com
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In 2009, Rajinder Peshin and colleagues Jayaratne and Gurdeep Singh published an article entitled Evaluation research: Methodologies for evaluation of Integrated Pest Management programs, in Integrated Pest Management: Dissemination and Impact, Springer (2009). Also in 2009, he published an article entitled "Evaluation of the benefits of an insecticide resistance management programme in Punjab in India" in the International Journal of Pest Management,Vol. 55, No. 3, 2009, 207-220. In his presentation. he will emphasize that program evaluation is an important field in agricultural development because evaluation studies provide biological scientists empirical feedback. However, most agricultural development programs lack evaluation mechanisms or are not based on robust evaluation designs. Dr. Peshin's experience with evaluation journals has not always been positive. He has found that evaluation journals are reluctant to publish articles related to applied program evaluation.
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Publishing Articles About Quality of Service and Customer Satisfaction in Extension
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| Glenn D Israel, University of Florida, gdisrael@ufl.edu
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In 2010, Glenn Israel published an article entitled, "The influence of type of contact with extension on client satisfaction" in the Journal of Extension, 48(1). In 2009, he published articles entitled, "The Influence of agent/client homophily on adult perceptions about extension's quality of service" in the Journal of Southern Agricultural Education Research, 59(1), 70-80, and "Diverse market segments and customer satisfaction: Does extension serve all clients well?" in the Journal of international agricultural and extension education, 16(1). He will discuss how studies of service quality and customer satisfaction can make an important contribution to the knowledge base for educational and service-based organizations. He will describe how such studies can be framed for extension-specific audiences to demonstrate methodological approaches and use of findings, as well as for application in the broader context, both geographically and topically. Israel will illustrate strategies for successfully publishing studies in journals internal and external to extension.
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Publishing Articles About Family, Health, and Youth Development Evaluation
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| Allison Nichols, West Virginia University, ahnichols@mail.wvu.edu
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Allison Nichols has published articles from her evaluation work including a 2010 article entitled, "Acceptance of body size and shape: the impact of health at every size programs" in The Forum for Family and Consumer Science Issues), "Examining youth camping outcomes across multiple states: The national 4-H camping research consortium," accept for publication in 2011 in the Journal of Youth Development, and 2009 articles, "Creating the eXtension Family Caregiving Community of Practice." Journal of Extension, and "Parenting education programs: recruiting and retaining low-income parents and family caregivers" in The Forum for Family and Consumer Issues. She will talk about discovering interesting findings from evaluation studies that inform understanding, theory, and practice in related fields. She will discuss how evaluation reports are not always publishable as is, but a piece of information that relates to other studies or theories might make all the difference in getting an article accepted.
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