The Method to Our Madness

By staceymerola

The Method to Our Madness is a podcast that explores the art, ethics, and impact of research and evaluation. Hosted by award-winning evaluator and musician Dr. Stacey Merola, and Will

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FAQs about The Method to Our Madness:

How many episodes does The Method to Our Madness have?

The podcast currently has 8 episodes available.

The Method to Our Madness episodes:

March 18, 2026 Different Types of Evaluation
What’s the difference between formative, process, outcome, and impact evaluation? When should you actually use each one? In this episode, Stacey and Bill break down the why and when of evaluation, drawing on real-world examples from education, training programs, and policy work. They talk implementation fidelity, stakeholder engagement, logic models, and why not every evaluation is about proving causality. The takeaway: good evaluation is about learning, improvement, and usefulness—not just measurement.

Music written and produced by Stacey Merola. Podcast artwork by Zoe Targino.
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36min
March 05, 2026 Smarter Bids, Better Wins: Business Development That Works
In this episode of The Method to Our Madness Podcast, we sit down with Rebecca Pitkow, a business development consultant with over 20 years of experience, to break down what actually works in proposal writing and procurement strategy.
We dive into how to identify the right opportunities early, avoid aspirational bidding, and use “gates” as decision points to save time, money, and energy. Rebecca explains how proactive forecasting, realistic capability assessments, and early disqualifications can dramatically improve win rates—especially in today’s tight fiscal environment.
The conversation also covers proposal color reviews (Pink Team through White Glove), building strong win themes and distinguishers, and conducting gap analyses to determine whether you should be a prime or a partner on a bid. Rebecca shares actionable advice on scaling proposal processes, developing reusable templates, and using post-mortem reviews to continuously improve.
We wrap up with practical guidance on cold calling, relationship-building, and managing micro-procurements efficiently—plus how small businesses can bring discipline and structure to their proposal efforts. Rebecca closes by sharing how her consulting services help organizations build smarter, more effective proposal processes. If you want help with your business development methodology, can reach out to Rebecca directly at: [email protected].
Podcast music by Stacey Merola. Podcast artwork by Zoe Targino.

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31min
February 18, 2026How to Get the Most Out of Attending Academic and Professional Conferences
Ever gone to a conference for the free swag and accidentally left with a career‑changing conversation? From data‑themed outfits to awkwardly empty presentation rooms, Stacey and Bill swap stories about how to get the most out of your conference experience. Drawing on years of attending, presenting at, and navigating professional and academic conferences across evaluation, psychology, sociology, and research spaces, Stacey and Bill share honest reflections about what worked, what didn’t, and what they wish they’d known sooner.
In this episode, they cover:
Why people go to conferences in the first place
How networking leads to jobs and collaborations
Big conferences vs. small ones, and which might be better for you
Simple ways to be more approachable (and memorable)
The highs and lows of presenting, from packed rooms to empty ones
How location, planning, and conference structure shape the experience
Episode takeaways:
Conferences are most valuable when you’re intentional about why you’re attending.
Smaller or regional conferences often lead to more meaningful conversations.
Being prepared—and approachable—can open unexpected doors.
Not every presentation will be a hit, and that’s okay.
Serendipity plays a bigger role than most people expect.
Links to organizations and conferences mentioned in this episode:
American Evaluation Association (AEA): https://www.eval.org/
American Psychological Association (APA): https://convention.apa.org/
Eastern Evaluation Research Society (EERS): https://www.eers.org/
Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP): https://www.siop.org/events/the-annual-conference/
Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness (SREE): https://www.sree.org/2026-conference
Mixed Methods International Research Association (MMIRA): https://mmira.wildapricot.org/australia2026
Podcast music written and produced by Stacey Merola. Podcast artwork was created by Zoe Targino.
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40min
February 05, 2026Introduction to Using Mixed Methods in Research
Episode 05: Mixed methods with special guest John Hitchcock
Have you ever wanted to know about using mixed methods in your research? Check out our latest podcast on mixed methods and the paradigm wars in program evaluation for a discussion about what mixed methods is and is not with special guest John Hitchcock, Marilyn Sime Professor for Educational Excellence at the University of Minnesota.
John Hitchcock, a colleague of both Stacey and Bill, has published extensively on the topic mixed methods research. He explains what mixed methods is and is not in the world of evaluation research, shares examples from his work and collaborations with other leaders in the field and answers our questions about the topic.
Below are resources referenced by John and additional information on colleagues and concepts discussed in this episode.
Burke Johnson
Google Scholar page
Mixed methods research: A research paradigm whose time has come (2004)
Article co-written with Anthony J. Onwuegbuzie
Anthony (Tony) J. Onwuegbuzie
University of Cambridge faculty bio
Paradigm shift
Popularized by Thomas Kuhn in
The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (1962; Wikipedia article)
John W. Creswell and Vicki L. Plano Clarn
Designing and Conducting Mixed Methods Research (Sage College Publishing)
Michael Fetters
Bio (Michigan Mixed Methods Program)
The Mixed Methods Research Workbook (Sage Publications)
Bonnie MacDougall
Sri Lankan village life (Cornell Chronicle, July 17, 2018)
Visit us on
show website: https://themethodtoourmadness.podbean.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/methodtoourmadnesspodcast/
Podcast music written and produced by Stacey Merola. Podcast artwork by Zoe Targino.
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33min
January 22, 2026 Research Ethics, Human Subjects Protections, and the Belmont Report
In this podcast episode we discuss the principles that guide the protection of human subjects in medical and behavioral research by reviewing one of the seminal pieces on the subject, The Belmont Report. We also explore human subjects' protections in the context of current technological innovations. Notes related to the episode can be found here. Music written and produced by Stacey Merola. Podcast artwork was created by Zoe Targino.
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25min
January 09, 2026 An Introduction to UX and Qualitative Research
In this episode, we go to Guatemala to chat with UX expert Anna Sandoval, Ph.D. about UX and qualitative research. UX research is the process of understanding user perceptions, needs, and behaviors, in order to design products that are accessible and usable. Gaining this understanding involves collecting data through qualitative methods like interviews and observations. After listening to the episode, if you are interested in learning more, you can contact Anna on LinkedIn at Anna Sandoval Giron, PhD | LinkedIn or at [email protected]. Podcast music written and produced by Stacey Merola. Podcast artwork by Zoe Targino.

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34min
December 18, 2025 Evaluation History and the Evidence Act: An Overview

Join us as we explore the roots of evaluation and the Evidence Act in this episode. Notes and sources are available here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pLF4kYfyg25Ew3nQ4yD6tP6-AVnRPY3G/view?usp=drive_link.

Music written and produced by Stacey Merola. Artwork by Zoe Targino.
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28min
December 03, 2025 Introduction to the Method to Our Madness
In this episode, our hosts, Stacey Merola, Ph.D. and William Pate introduce themselves to the audience and discuss their vision for the podcast. Music by Stacey Merola. Podcast artwork by Zoe Targino.
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25min

FAQs about The Method to Our Madness:

How many episodes does The Method to Our Madness have?

The podcast currently has 8 episodes available.