Methods to evaluate your communications activities need to be in place before you begin communicating. That means evaluation should be at the top of your checklist for the spring and summer season. The It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air Web Site Download Center has the tools to help.

The Resource Toolkit chapter on Evaluation provides a primer on program evaluation, including answers to frequently asked questions. Sections of the chapter cover how to use research to plan, monitor, and evaluate your program. Tools are provided for benchmarking and tracking results that reflect the objectives of the It All Adds Up To Cleaner Air initiative. This chapter was substantially updated in April 2003, so check it out.

• A professionally developed and tested questionnaire is provided for pre- and post-program evaluations using telephone surveys. This saves you the time and expense of questionnaire development. A version of the questionnaire has been annotated, providing the rationale for each question.

• Another version of the questionnaire is designed to be a self-administered questionnaire (SAQ). This two-page questionnaire is a great tool to use in a presentation about transportation and air quality. It provides an excellent outline of the It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air messages for discussion purposes or it can be used to measure your audience's awareness and attitudes before your presentation. You can also use it on your Web site or in public venues, like shopping centers, to gauge public awareness and attitudes.

• The Community Assessment chapter of the Resource Toolkit includes information on how to conduct focus groups to test your ads. This recently updated section can help you customize, select, or develop materials that meet the specific needs of your community.

Research and evaluation are keys to a well executed, sustainable, and effective communications program. Please take advantage of the resources provided for your convenience. If you have questions or need more advice, please post your inquiry on the Demonstrating the Benefits of Your Program section of the Exchange.