10 Helpful Hints and 10 Fatal Flaws: Writing Better Evaluation Sections in Your Proposals

These resources, developed by EvaluATE: Evaluation Resource Center for Advanced Technological Education, include ten hints and ten fatal flaws to consider while preparing an ATE proposal's evaluation plan. The first resource is a 1-page summary of these hints. The other 5-page resource includes further descriptions and suggested resources. Some of the hints include: Identify an evaluator in advance and include his or her name and qualifications; Carefully match the evaluation with project goals, objectives, and activities; and Remember that while accountability is important, evaluation of impact and effectiveness is vital. Some of the flaws include: The evaluation section - Is missing, Only evaluates easy things, and Has an unreasonable or unrealistic budget (e.g., a complex plan with a tiny budget or vice versa) and fails to explain how costs were estimated.