Hello. I’m Marv Alkin, an academic but in my writing I try not to act like one. At heart, I am an educator and I believe that writing has to communicate in language that readers can connect with. My latest book, Evaluation Essentials: From A to Z, is written as a conversation with the reader.But, I suppose you want me to verify that I am really qualified to write in this area, so let me tell you what I have been doing with my life. I’ve been on the faculty of the University of California Los Angeles for 36 years as a member of the Social Research Methodology Division of the Graduate School of Education and Information Studies. During that time, I held administrative assignments as Chair of my Division, Chair of the Department, and Associate Dean of the School. I have also been the editor of major journals in the evaluation field and been honored by the American Evaluation Association with the Paul F. Lazarsfeld Award for Lifelong Contributions to Evaluation Theory. In addition to my new book, Evaluation Essentials: From A to Z , I have written or edited some others: Evaluation Roots: Tracing Theorists’ View and Influences, Encyclopedia of Educational Research, Sixth Edition, Debates on Evaluation, The Costs of Evaluation, Using Evaluations: Does Evaluation Make a Difference? If you read one of my books, I hope you enjoy my writing.