Series editors'' preface Preface Introduction Definitions: Applied linguistics, evaluation, program Critical issues Program evaluation and applied linguistics research Historical background The paradigm dialog Evaluation of language education programs in the 1960s and 1970s More recent developments in the evaluation of language education programs Summary Validity Validity from the positivistic perspective Validity from the naturalistic perspective Conclusions: Validity from the two perspectives Positivistic designs True experimental designs Quasi-experimental designs Naturalistic designs The responsive model The illumination model Goal-free evaluation The judicial model The connoisseurship model Other metaphors for naturalistic evaluation 6 Quantitative data gathering and analysis Data gathering Data analysis Conclusion Qualitative data gathering and analysis Overview Data gathering Data analysis Combining positivistic and naturalistic program evaluation Compatibilist versus incompatibilist perspectives Mixed strategies Multiple strategies Mixed designs Mixed designs and strategies over time Conclusions CAM step 1 audience and goals : Determine the purpose of the evaluation CAM steps 2 and 3 context inventory and preliminary thematic framework : Determine what is being evaluated CAM steps 4 and 5 evaluation design and data collection : Select a design and collect the data CAM step 6 data analysis : Analyze and interpret your findings CAM step 7 evaluation report : Communicating the evaluation findings The role of program evaluation in applied linguistics research References Author index Subject index