Recommended Books
Policy Foundations
Policy Theory & Process
Theories of the Policy Process (Christopher M. Weible, ed.)
This landmark volume surveys the leading frameworks used to explain how public policies are formed and change over time, including the Advocacy Coalition Framework, Punctuated Equilibrium Theory, and Multiple Streams. Each chapter introduces a theory, traces its development, and discusses its applications across contexts. I recommend it because it provides the intellectual foundations for policy process research, making it essential for scholars while also offering practitioners conceptual tools to better understand the forces shaping real-world policy decisions.
The Methods of Policy Process (Christopher M. Weible & Samuel Workman)
This companion to Theories of the Policy Process shows how leading scholars put policy frameworks into action. Each chapter demonstrates how to move from concepts to application, covering research design choices, data sources, methodological strategies, and best practices. I recommend it because it equips students and practitioners with concrete guidance for applying policy theories in diverse contexts and for designing studies that yield meaningful insights.
Understanding Public Policy: Theories and Issues (Paul Cairney)
This book introduces the major theories and debates that shape how public policy is studied and practiced. Cairney explains the strengths and limits of different approaches while connecting them to real-world issues and controversies. I recommend it because it offers a clear, accessible overview of the policy process, making it especially useful for readers who want to situate evaluation and research within broader governance dynamics.
Applied Policy Analysis
A Practical Guide for Policy Analysis: The Eightfold Path to More Effective Problem Solving (Eugene Bardach & Eric Patashnik)
A classic introduction to applied policy analysis, this book presents a structured, eight-step approach to clarifying problems, weighing alternatives, and recommending solutions. I recommend it because it offers a practical, easy-to-follow framework that nonprofit leaders, public agencies, and evaluators can use to strengthen decision-making and communicate findings effectively.
The Policy Process: A Practical Guide for Natural Resource Professionals (Tim W. Clark)
This book introduces readers to the dynamics of how policy is actually made, with a special focus on environmental and natural resource contexts. It combines theory with real-world application, offering a roadmap for navigating institutions, stakeholders, and competing interests. I recommend it because it bridges policy analysis with practical challenges in sustainability and conservation — areas where evaluators and practitioners often need both technical rigor and political savvy.
Design & Methods
Research Design
Proposals That Work: A Guide for Planning Dissertations and Grant Proposals (Lawrence F. Locke, Waneen Wyrick Spirduso, & Stephen J. Silverman)
This book is a practical guide for anyone preparing to write a research or grant proposal. It breaks down the steps of crafting a clear problem statement, designing methods, and presenting a persuasive case to funders or committees. I recommend it because it offers concrete strategies and examples that help turn strong ideas into fundable, well-structured projects
Internet, Phone, Mail, and Mixed-Mode Surveys: The Tailored Design Method (Don A. Dillman, Jolene D. Smyth, & Leah Melani Christian)
This book is the standard reference for designing and implementing surveys across multiple modes of data collection. It offers practical guidance on sampling, question wording, response rates, and adapting to technological change. I recommend it because it provides clear, evidence-based strategies for producing high-quality survey data — an essential skill for evaluators, researchers, and policy professionals.
Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Designs for Generalized Causal Inference (William R. Shadish, PhD; Thomas D. Cook, PhD; Donald T. Campbell, PhD, 2002)
This book is the definitive resource on experimental and quasi-experimental designs in the social sciences. Shadish, Cook, and Campbell provide a comprehensive framework for establishing causal inference, covering randomized controlled trials as well as alternatives when randomization is not feasible. I recommend it because it equips researchers and evaluators with the methodological foundations needed to design credible studies, interpret evidence rigorously, and balance the realities of applied policy research with the standards of scientific validity.
Case Study Research and Applications: Design and Methods (Robert K. Yin)
This book is the standard reference on case study design, outlining how to structure and conduct in-depth observational research across disciplines. Yin explains when case studies are most appropriate, how to build rigor into design and analysis, and how to generalize findings beyond individual cases. I recommend it because it shows how observational designs can be systematic and credible, making it valuable for both academic researchers and practitioners working in complex policy and nonprofit contexts.
Qualitative Research
The Coding Manual for Qualitative Researchers (Johnny Saldaña)
This widely used text provides detailed guidance on coding qualitative data, from first-cycle methods to more advanced analytic strategies. Saldaña explains different coding approaches, illustrates them with real examples, and discusses how coding connects to interpretation. I recommend it because it is both practical and comprehensive, making it indispensable for anyone conducting qualitative research or evaluation.
Qualitative Interviewing: The Art of Hearing Data (Herbert J. Rubin & Irene S. Rubin)
This book is a classic resource on conducting effective qualitative interviews. The authors emphasize how to design questions, build rapport, and truly “hear” what participants are saying in order to capture meaningful insights. I recommend it because strong interviewing skills are at the heart of inclusive research and evaluation, helping practitioners center lived experience and generate deeper understanding.
Doing Qualitative Research Online (Janet Salmons)
This book addresses the unique opportunities and challenges of conducting qualitative research in digital spaces. Salmons explains how to design studies, collect data, and build trust with participants using online tools and platforms. I recommend it because it equips both academics and practitioners to adapt qualitative methods to contemporary contexts where much of policy, community, and organizational life now takes place virtually.
Quantitative Research
Essential Statistics for Public Managers and Policy Analysts (Evan M. Berman, PhD & XiaoHu Wang, PhD, 4th ed., 2018)
This book introduces core statistical concepts through the lens of public management and policy analysis, emphasizing application over theory. Berman and Wang explain how to interpret and use statistics in decision-making, with examples drawn from government and nonprofit contexts. I recommend it because it provides academics with a text that links quantitative methods to real policy problems, and it gives practitioners a clear, accessible resource for using data responsibly in everyday management and evaluation.
Applied Regression: An Introduction (Michael S. Lewis-Beck & Colin Lewis-Beck)
This book provides a clear and concise introduction to regression, the most widely used statistical tool in policy and social science research. The Lewis-Becks explain the logic of regression analysis, illustrate its applications with real-world data, and walk readers through interpreting results without unnecessary technical detail. I recommend it because it equips academics with a reliable teaching text and gives practitioners the essential skills to analyze relationships and make evidence-based policy decisions.
The Essential Guide to Effect Sizes: Statistical Power, Meta-Analysis, and the Interpretation of Research Results (Paul D. Ellis)
This book explains why effect sizes are critical for interpreting research findings, moving beyond significance tests to focus on the magnitude and practical importance of results. Ellis introduces key concepts such as standardized mean differences, correlations, and odds ratios, showing how they are used in reporting, meta-analysis, and applied decision-making. I recommend it because it makes complex statistical ideas accessible without sacrificing rigor, giving academics a reliable teaching tool and practitioners a clear framework for understanding the real-world impact of data.
Applied Approaches
Impact Evaluation
Evaluation: A Systematic Approach (Peter H. Rossi, Mark W. Lipsey, & Howard E. Freeman)
This foundational text lays out the principles and methods of program evaluation, with a strong emphasis on quantitative designs and systematic analysis. It has shaped the field for decades, offering both theoretical grounding and practical frameworks for assessing effectiveness. I recommend it because it provides the rigor expected in academic evaluation research while also giving practitioners a clear roadmap for designing and interpreting evaluations in real-world policy and nonprofit contexts.
Impact Evaluation in Practice (Paul J. Gertler, Sebastian Martinez, Patrick Premand, Laura Rawlings, & Christel Vermeersch)
Developed by the World Bank, this book provides a clear and accessible introduction to designing and using impact evaluations. It walks readers through key concepts such as randomization, comparison groups, and data collection, illustrated with real-world case studies from social and development programs. I recommend it because it balances methodological rigor with practical guidance, making it especially useful for policymakers, nonprofit leaders, and practitioners who want to measure program effectiveness in applied settings.
RealWorld Evaluation: Working Under Budget, Time, Data, and Political Constraints (Michael Bamberger, Jim Rugh, & Linda Mabry)
This book addresses the reality that most evaluations are conducted under imperfect conditions — with limited budgets, incomplete data, political sensitivities, or tight timelines. The authors provide practical strategies for adapting evaluation designs without sacrificing credibility, including checklists and real-world case examples. I recommend it because it speaks directly to the challenges nonprofits, local governments, and agencies face, making rigorous evaluation more feasible and actionable in everyday practice while still grounded in methodological rigor.
Handbook of Practical Program Evaluation (Kathryn E. Newcomer, Harry P. Hatry, & Joseph S. Wholey, eds.)
This comprehensive handbook brings together leading experts to cover the full range of program evaluation approaches, from quantitative and qualitative methods to performance measurement and capacity building. The chapters blend theory with applied examples, offering guidance for designing, managing, and using evaluations across diverse policy and nonprofit contexts. I recommend it because it serves as both an academic reference and a practitioner’s guide, making it especially valuable for organizations seeking to build evaluation capacity or train staff in current best practices.
Participatory Research
The SAGE Handbook of Action Research (Hilary Bradbury, ed.)
This comprehensive volume brings together leading international scholars to showcase the full range of action research traditions, from participatory inquiry and organizational learning to sustainability and social justice applications. It highlights both philosophical foundations and practical strategies for co-creating knowledge with communities and organizations. I recommend it because it is the most authoritative and wide-ranging resource on action research, making it invaluable for doctoral students, researchers, and practitioners seeking to integrate participation and action into their work
Essentials of Critical Participatory Action Research (Michelle Fine & María Elena Torre)
This book introduces critical participatory action research (PAR) as both a methodology and a commitment to social justice. Fine and Torre outline the principles of PAR, including collaboration, reflexivity, and critical analysis of power, and provide practical guidance for designing and conducting studies with communities. I recommend it because it demonstrates how research can be co-created to challenge inequities and produce knowledge that is directly useful for action and change.
Equity & Inclusive Evaluation
Continuing the Journey to Reposition Culture and Cultural Context in Evaluation Theory and Practice: The Second Edition of Culturally Responsive Evaluation (Stafford Hood, Rodney K. Hopson, & Henry T. Frierson, eds.)
This edited volume is the definitive resource on culturally responsive evaluation, bringing together leading scholars to examine how culture and context shape every stage of the evaluation process. The chapters highlight theoretical advances, practical strategies, and case studies that show how evaluation can be more inclusive and reflective of diverse communities. I recommend it because it remains a foundational text for scholars while also offering practitioners concrete approaches to designing evaluations that are both methodologically sound and culturally grounded.
Empowerment Evaluation and Social Justice: Confronting the Culture of Silence (David M. Fetterman)
This recent volume advances the theory and practice of empowerment evaluation, focusing on how evaluation can challenge silence, amplify marginalized voices, and promote social justice. Contributors illustrate how communities and organizations can use empowerment approaches to build capacity, claim agency, and hold systems accountable. I recommend it because it shows how evaluation can be more than measurement — it can be a tool for justice and transformation, making it especially relevant for nonprofits and community-based organizations.
Just Research in Contentious Times: Widening the Methodological Imagination (Michelle Fine)
This book explores how research and evaluation can confront inequality by centering power, privilege, and voice. Fine draws on participatory and critical traditions to show how methods can be used to challenge dominant narratives and support marginalized communities. I recommend it because it bridges rigorous scholarship with activist practice, offering guidance for academics and practitioners seeking to use research as a tool for justice.
Narrative, Advocacy, and Framing
News Framing Effects (Sophie Lecheler & Claes H. de Vreese, 2019)
This book offers a systematic introduction to framing effects theory, explaining how subtle changes in news presentation shape public attitudes and behaviors. Lecheler and de Vreese walk readers through the core elements of framing research — from identifying frames and measuring their effects, to considering moderators, mediators, and the limits of influence in today’s shifting media environment. I recommend it because it gives academics a clear roadmap for designing rigorous framing studies, and it helps practitioners understand the mechanisms by which media narratives gain power, enabling more strategic advocacy and communication.
The Political Brain: The Role of Emotion in Deciding the Fate of the Nation (Drew Westen, 2007)
Westen demonstrates that emotion, not detached reasoning, drives political decision-making. Drawing from psychology and neuroscience, he explains how campaigns and policies succeed when they connect to voters’ identities, values, and feelings. I recommend it because it reminds academics that analysis must account for affect and cognition, and it gives practitioners a framework for crafting strategies that engage both hearts and minds in pursuit of democratic change.
The All New Don’t Think of an Elephant! (George Lakoff, 2014)
Lakoff, a cognitive linguist, explains how metaphors and mental frames structure political thought — and why facts alone rarely change minds. He shows that effective advocacy depends not only on presenting evidence, but on embedding ideas within values-based frames that resonate with the public. I recommend it because it pushes academics to consider how knowledge travels beyond data and theory, and it equips practitioners with practical insight into how narratives can advance—or obstruct—policy change.