title: A model for evaluating academic research centers: Case study of the Asian/Pacific Islander Youth Violence Prevention Center.
abstract: To provide one model for evaluating academic research centers, given their vital role in addressing public health issues.
  
  
  
  A theoretical framework is described for a comprehensive evaluation plan for research centers. This framework is applied to one specific center by describing the center's Logic Model and Evaluation Plan, including a sample of the center's activities.
  
  
  
  Formative and summative evaluation information is summarized. In addition, a summary of outcomes is provided: improved practice and policy; reduction of risk factors and increase in protective factors; reduction of interpersonal youth violence in the community; and national prototype for prevention of interpersonal youth violence.
  
  
  
  Research centers are important mechanisms to advance science and improve people's quality of life. Because of their more infrastructure-intensive and comprehensive approach, they also require substantial resources for success, and thus, also require careful accountability. It is therefore important to comprehensively evaluate these centers. As provided herein, a more systematic and structured approach utilizing logic models, an evaluation plan, and successful processes can provide research centers with a functionally useful method in their evaluation.
authors.affiliation: Office of Medical Education, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States. Electronic address: stnishim@hawaii.edu.
authors.forename: Stephanie T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Nishimura
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States.
authors.forename: Earl S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Hishinuma
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States; The Queen's Medical Center, Honolulu, HI, United States.
authors.forename: Deborah A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Goebert
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States; The Queen's Medical Center, Honolulu, HI, United States.
authors.forename: Jane M M
authors.initials: JMM
authors.lastname: Onoye
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States.
authors.forename: Jeanelle J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Sugimoto-Matsuda
mesh_terms: D001213:Asian; D003256:Community Participation / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination / Q000379:methods; D044468:Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012106:Research / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014495:Universities / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014754:Violence / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control*
keywords: Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders; Program evaluation; Research centers; Youth violence prevention