Posavac and Carey provide a comprehensive, but accessible, introduction to the field of program evaluation. By adopting a flexible philosophy of evaluation, the authors demonstrate how program evaluation can be applied to answer a wide variety of questions in many different settings.

Enjoying widespread acceptance, Program Evaluation includes case studies of completed program evaluations and sketches of the careers of program evaluators to help readers develop an appreciation of the applicability of evaluation methods.

By viewing program evaluation as a formalization of something that people do all the time and, indeed, find essential, the implicit threat of evaluation is reduced by the authors' approach. Posavac and Carey stress the importance of working with representatives of all groups affected by the program, whether they be program staff or managers, recipients, or people providing financial or moral support. The Improvement-Focused Model of Evaluation can be used to include many people in the evaluation process.

The authors show that the application of program evaluation serves to contribute to making society more effective, just, and healthy.