NIGMS-funded training programs must conduct ongoing program evaluations to monitor the effectiveness of their training and mentoring activities in meeting the stated goals. The following evaluation resources include guides, reports, tools, and relevant literature on various aspects of evaluation. This is not a comprehensive guide to the field of evaluation or to developing an evaluation. The resources listed are free and publicly accessible, as of the time this site was developed.

The content within these evaluation resources is neither created nor endorsed by NIGMS; the listing is intended to serve as potential resources for programs as they develop and refine their evaluation plans. NIGMS isn't responsible for the availability or content of these external sites, nor does it endorse, warrant, or guarantee the products, services, or information described or offered at these sites.

The first section provides general resources on evaluation, and the second section provides resources on STEM education and research training evaluation.

The final sections provide answers to evaluation-related frequently asked questions (FAQs) received by NIGMS program staff.

General Evaluation Resources:

Free Resources:

• Evaluation 101 https://sites.google.com/view/evaluation101/resources?authuser=0 An index of resources to support program evaluation planning and implementation needs.
• W.K. Kellogg Foundation Evaluation Handbook https://wkkf.issuelab.org/resource/the-step-by-step-guide-to-evaluation-how-to-become-savvy-evaluation-consumers-4.html A handbook that provides guidance for conducting and managing evaluations.
• Better Evaluation https://www.betterevaluation.org/ The BetterEvaluation website has over 1,600 resources on evaluation tasks and options, and more are added frequently. The resources include overviews, guides, example frameworks and questions, tools or toolkits, and discussion papers.
• Evaluation Checklist Project https://wmich.edu/evaluation/checklists This website provides an evaluation checklist, organized by evaluation task areas, that can be used when designing and implementing an evaluation. The site also provides various guides and literature.
• Survey Methods for Sensitive Topics https://graemeblair.com/papers/sensitive.pdf Outlines four survey techniques to protect sensitive topics.
• Introduction to Impact Evaluation https://www.interaction.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/1-Introduction-to-Impact-Evaluation.pdf This resource provides an introduction to impact evaluation and addresses questions to support management, program and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) staff in international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to plan, design, manage, conduct, and use impact evaluations.
• 'A balancing act': Resolving multiple stakeholder interests in program evaluation https://www.anneconsulting.com.au/files/4813/9046/1077/balancing_act.pdf This paper discusses negotiation, an essential component to the planning stage of an evaluation, and strategic steps to be taken early in the evaluation process to ensure consensus is developed in stakeholder expectations regarding methodology and outcomes from the evaluation.
• Likert-type Scale Response Anchors (Vagias, Wade M. (2006)) http://media.clemson.edu/cbshs/prtm/research/resources-for-research-page-2/Vagias-Likert-Type-Scale-Response-Anchors.pdf Provides examples of Likert-type scales.
• Cognitive Interviewing — A "How To" Guide https://www.hkr.se/contentassets/9ed7b1b3997e4bf4baa8d4eceed5cd87/gordonwillis.pdf Guide outlines strategies to implement feedback process to build better surveys. To be used for questionnaire development and testing.

STEM Education and Research Training Evaluation Resources:

Free Resources:

• Informal Science https://www.informalscience.org/projects/evaluation This website provides guides, plans, and tools for STEM evaluation.
• Undergraduate Research Student Self-Assessment (URSSA) https://www.colorado.edu/eer/research-areas/undergraduate-research/evaluation-tools-undergraduate-research-student-self Undergraduate Research Student Self-Assessment (URSSA) is an online survey instrument for programs to use in assessing the student outcomes of undergraduate research.
• Entering Research Learning Assessment (ERLA) https://wiscience.wisc.edu/2019/07/10/entering-research-learning-assessment-erla/ The Entering Research Learning Assessment (ERLA) provides research trainee and mentor surveys to assess learning in seven areas of trainee development.
• The STEM Education and Training Topical Interest Group (STEM TIG) https://comm.eval.org/stemeducationandtraining/home Provides a professional home for evaluators who are looking for a community around STEM education evaluation.

Relevant Literature:

• Entering Research Learning Assessment (ERLA): Validity Evidence for an Instrument to Measure Undergraduate and Graduate Research Trainee Development. Butz A, Branchaw J. (2020). CBE — Life Sciences Education, 19(2), p.ar18. https://www.lifescied.org/doi/10.1187/cbe.19-07-0146
• Program evaluation practices and the training of PhD students in STEM. Reeves PM, Claydon J, Davenport GA. (2022). Studies in Graduate and Postdoctoral Education, Vol. 13 No. 2, pp. 109-131. https://doi.org/10.1108/SGPE-04-2021-0029
• The role of scientific communication in predicting science identity and research career intention. Cameron C, Lee HY, Anderson CB, Trachtenberg J, Chang S. (2020). PLOS ONE, 15(2): e0228197. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0228197
• Where Do Our Graduates Go? A Tool Kit for Tracking Career Outcomes of Biomedical PhD Students and Postdoctoral Scholars. Silva E, Mejía A, Watkins E. (2019). CBE — Life Sciences Education, 18(4), p.le3. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.19-08-0150
• The Mentoring Competency Assessment: validation of a new instrument to evaluate skills of research mentors. Fleming M, House S, Hanson VS, Yu L, Garbutt J, McGee R, Kroenke K, Abedin Z, Rubio DM. (2013). Academic Medicine: Journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges, 88(7), 1002–1008. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0b013e318295e298
• Competency-based assessment for the training of PhD students and early-career scientists. Verderame MF, Freedman VH, Kozlowski LM, McCormack WT. eLife. 2018 May 31;7:e34801. https://doi.org/10.7554%2FeLife.34801

Relevant Journals:

• American Journal of Evaluation: https://www.eval.org/Publications/Publications/American-Journal-of-Evaluation
• CBE — Life Sciences Education: https://www.lifescied.org/
• Journal of Research Administration: https://www.srainternational.org/resources/journal
• New Directions for Evaluation: https://www.eval.org/Publications/Publications/New-Directions-For-Evaluation
• Research in Higher Education: https://www.springer.com/journal/11162