Evaluating Policy Studies by Using the Case Survey Methods

A common problem faced in evaluation research is the assessment of existing policy studies. For many reasons, an investigator may be interested in determining 'what the research says' before establishing a framework for testing new hypotheses. Similarly, policymakers often want to know what has already been learned before considering alternative public programs. And, because of the rapid expansion of public service programs during the 1960s and the concomitant policy research efforts, there are now indeed many published and unpublished studies worthy of secondary analysis: manpower and training studies, drug treatment and health care research, studies of educational achievement, research on urban innovations and the application of new technology to social problems, and numerous investigations focusing on public organizations and organizational behavior.