The instructional material in the guide is planned for use in the following sequence: orientation, application, evaluation, and verification. In essence, the method is that of a self-appraisal in questionnaire form, applied at the grass roots of the organization by personnel directly concerned with a process, who are therefore in a position to implement immediate program, procedural, or physical improvements. The guide details steps for obtaining staff involvement and enabling them to perform the evaluation in a way that will result in a graphic presentation of the institutions' strengths, weaknesses, and needs and serve as a basis for long and short range planning. Ultimately, participation in the self-evaluation against the standards of the Manual will provide material for the next revision of the standards and a foundation for future voluntary accreditation. Appendixes to the guide contain forms, illustrative samples, and corrections evaluation reports.