Evaluating the Policy Process: A Justification for the Development of Event Outcome Analysis

Abstract

Policies and program evaluations would benefit from wider applications of event history-style analysis utilizing cross-sectional data via a new method: event outcome analysis. event outcome analysis is presented as a new approach for assessing theoretical frameworks such as the Policy Paradox. The presence of sufficient literature-based support for the expanded application of cross-sectional data is confirmed by an interdisciplinary, methodological review of (1) literature on event history analysis, (2) a small subset of recent event histories conducted with cross-sectional data, and (3) recommendations and best practices for cross-sectional data integrity assurance. Thus, this article synthesizes extensive event history literature, cross-sectional applications, and other methodology research (related to survey data and cross-sectional vs. longitudinal data) to develop a framework for event outcome analysis, which includes a five-phase methodology with considerations, recommendations, and best practices from the literature—spanning the breadth of interdisciplinary resources. Finally, an initial beta test study is presented as a first step toward expanding the methodology to evaluate policy and program outcomes.

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