Evidence-Building and Evaluation in Government
- Kathryn Newcomer - George Washington University, USA
- Nicholas Hart - Data Foundation, USA
Volume:
7
Series:
Evaluation in Practice Series
Evaluation in Practice Series
December 2021 | 168 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc
Public managers, contractors, and grantees conducting evaluations for government operate in complex environment where policymakers and commissioners of evaluation expect different types of “evidence” and simultaneously employ different criteria in judging the quality of that evidence. This text provides a road map for evaluators doing business within or for government, and public managers who are expected to assess and use evidence generated by a large variety of evaluation approaches. The book provides checklists and how-to guidance to help students and other readers develop skills in important activities such as: assessing the quality of evidence claims; developing theories of change to guide the design and evaluation of programs and policies; developing learning agendas to bridge the gap between evidence producers and potential evidence users; and increasing the support of public leaders and executives in the generation and use of evidence to inform their decision-making. The authors include end-of-chapter exercises for readers to test their ability to apply the skills described.
Chapter 1 The Evidence-Building Mandate
Chapter 2 Assessing the Quality of Evidence
Chapter 3. Employing Evaluative Thinking
Chapter 4. Developing Learning Agendas for Public Organizations
Chapter 5. Building Capacity to Generate and Supply Evidence
Chapter 6. Building Capacity to Use Evidence
Chapter 7 Sustaining Momentum for Evidence-Building Capacity in Government
The Evidence Act will have major implications for the Federal Government and the evaluation community over the next years and decades. This book discusses how to use evidence in evaluation and policy research in a trailblazing and timely fashion.
George Mason University
Sample Materials & Chapters
CH01 - The Evidence-Building Mandate
CH02 - Assessing the Quality of Evidence