This site is designed for my undergraduate courses in Psychological Research Methods. Therefore, it is fairly introductory. For more detailed information, go to the Links page in this site.

1.

Purpose: To determine or document the need for a program, and to help direct the development of a program.

2.

Definition of need: The main definition of need is a difference between the present situation and the desired situation. This may be measured by performance, behavior, or reported experience. Other definitions of need include the presence of a condition that will lead to a problem later on and the prediction that a program will lead to some future improvement.

3.

Characteristics:

• Usually uses descriptive data from surveys, interviews, archival data, etc.
• Justifies a program, e.g., for funding, approval
• Identifies reasonable goals and objectives of a program
• Identifies target population and samples, e.g., geographical, social, or demographic characteristics
• Also begins identifying other factors which bear on program's approval, funding, implementation, evaluation, etc. See Context Evaluation.

1.

Clarify and articulate the purpose of the needs assessment. Identify what information should come out of the needs assessment.

E.g., is it to establish a need or funding, to gain approval for the program, to help allocate resources and design the program, or for the purpose of public relations?

2.

Conduct a context evaluation: what unstated purposes, who are stakeholders in outcome of the needs assessment, what resources are available?

Gain involvement and support, if possible, of all relevant stakeholders.

3.

Identify population of interest, select sampling strategies.

Select data collection design and procedures.

Develop data collection instruments and protocols (e.g., surveys, interview protocols, check lists for naturalistic observation, archival records, etc.).

Gain approval and formal agreements, informed consent or respondents if appropriate.

4.

Gather and analyze data.

5.

Draw conclusions.

Report and distribute findings.