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Publication Guidelines for PEC Users

Guidelines for Acknowledging the Program Evaluation Core in Publications and Presentations 

Acknowledging the contributions of the Program Evaluation Core is essential, not only to give credit for the expertise and effort involved in collection and analysis of evaluation data, but also to sustain and enhance our ability to support research initiatives. As a core research facility at Northwestern, our funding depends substantially on federally and privately funded research projects, making recognition in publications, presentations, and grant proposals critical for demonstrating the impact of our work. Additionally, proper acknowledgment supports the professional development and career advancement of our Evaluation Specialists, whose contributions to program evaluation and continuous improvement play a vital role in advancing research excellence. By ensuring that their work and expertise are recognized, we help build their professional portfolios, enhance their credibility in the field, and strengthen the institution’s research infrastructure." 

To ensure appropriate recognition of our contributions, we request that Principal Investigators, Faculty, and Staff follow these guidelines when acknowledging our work in publications, presentations, and grant proposals. See here for Northwestern Publication Guidelines for Users of Northwestern Core Research Facilities. https://cpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/sites.northwestern.edu/dist/4/3061/files/2019/07/Publication-Guidelines-for-Users-of-University-CFs-2-8-18115.pdf 

 

  1. Acknowledging the Program Evaluation Core in Publications

If data collected or analyzed by the Program Evaluation Core are included in a publication, the Core should be acknowledged in one of the following ways: 

a. General Acknowledgment 

For work where the Core’s contributions do not meet authorship criteria but were significant to the research: 

"The authors acknowledge the support of the Northwestern University Program Evaluation Core (PEC) for their assistance in data collection, analysis and interpretation of evaluation data.” 

If presenting data visualizations, tables, or insights generated by PEC, ensure proper citation of PEC’s contributions in footnotes or figure captions.  

b. Co-Authorship 

If a Program Evaluation Core member has made substantial intellectual contributions (e.g., designing the evaluation framework, conducting complex analyses, or writing sections of the manuscript), they should be considered for co-authorship per standard authorship guidelines. 

  • Co-authorship decisions should be discussed early in the manuscript preparation process and follow journal-specific authorship criteria. 
  1. Acknowledging the Program Evaluation Core in Presentations

When presenting work that includes data collected or analyzed by the Program Evaluation Core: 

  • Include a slide or verbal acknowledgment such as: 

 "This work was supported by the Northwestern University Program Evaluation Core, which provided evaluation and data collection and analysis support." 

  • If presenting data visualizations, tables, or insights generated by PEC, ensure proper citation of PEC’s contributions in footnotes or figure captions. 

If you have questions about acknowledging support of the Program Evaluation Core 

For questions regarding proper acknowledgment or to discuss evaluation support, please contact the Program Evaluation Core at [Core Contact Email/Website]. 

By following these guidelines, we can ensure that the valuable contributions of the Program Evaluation Core are appropriately recognized while fostering collaboration and high-quality research.