What is different about the conduct of evaluations in conflict zones compared to nonconflict zones--and how do these differences affect (if at all) the ethical calculations and behavior of evaluators? When are ethical issues too risky, or too uncertain, for evaluators to accept--or to continue--an evaluation? These are the core questions guiding…

Evaluating the longer-term sustainability of government programs and policies seems in many ways to go beyond the boundaries of typical evaluation practice. Not only have intervention failures over time been difficult to predict, but the question of sustainability itself tends to fall outside current evaluation thinking, timing and functions. This…

The discussion on and development of a holistic evaluation approach for rural development will be indispensable to improving and enriching the lives of rural people. This approach can be developed by considering the conceptualization of community policy structure in rural areas, the localization of policy structure in the rural community, and the…

Evaluators have an obligation to present clearly the results of their evaluative efforts. Traditionally, such presentations showcase formal written and oral reports, with dispassionate language and graphs, tables, quotes, and vignettes. These traditional forms do not reach all audiences nor are they likely to include the most powerful presentation…

This article synthesizes interview data from evaluation directors and top executives of philanthropic foundations on how evaluation might better advance their missions. In key informant interviews, respondents commented on the purposes of evaluation from the foundation's perspective, challenges to effective evaluation, and the means by which…

In many less developed democracies Voluntary Organizations for Professional Evaluation (VOPEs) face the challenges of low demand for evaluation and the resulting low economic capacity of national evaluation communities. The VOPE model that evolved in well-developed democracies is not directly applicable under these circumstances, so a new model…

This article sketches the growth and accompanying challenges that face development evaluation in the future, by showing that whilst the progress in expanding the geographical presence of evaluation has been impressive, much more needs to be done. Important work has been done in promoting guidance through agencies such as the (UNEG, OECD/DAC and…

National Evaluation Societies (NES) are situated at the intersection between Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) supply and demand. To date, little research has explored NES and their potential for strengthening national M&E. This study addresses this gap, examining perceived NES performance relevant to organizational and policy-oriented goals…

Much has been said in literature about the changing face of development and the changing face of the aid industry. However, the focus of this article is the effect that this could have on evaluation and what might be done to move evaluation into the most useful space possible. Herein, the author makes the case that the evaluation community needs…

Although some argue that distinctions between "evaluation" and "development evaluation" are increasingly superfluous, it is important to recognize that some distinctions still matter. The severe vulnerabilities and power asymmetries inherent in most developing country systems and societies make the task of evaluation…

In a world faced with unprecedented rising levels of inequality and injustice, is there a responsibility for our evaluation organizations to take on a leadership role in promoting inclusive, evaluative dialog and deliberation about the state of our democracies in relation to key democratic principles and ideals? In this forum, I question whether…

Performance-based accountability along with budget tightening has increased pressure on publicly funded organizations to develop and deliver programs that produce meaningful social benefits. As a result, there is increasing need to undertake formative evaluations that estimate preliminary program outcomes and identify promising program components…

Over the past year, the Board of Directors of the American Evaluation Association (AEA) has been discussing ways in which AEA can strengthen its relationships and build collaborative partnerships within the international evaluation community as well as increase AEA members' awareness of and capacity to engage issues that shape evaluation…

Using exogenous characteristics to identify endogenous subgroups, the approach discussed in this method note creates symmetric subsets within treatment and control groups, allowing the analysis to take advantage of an experimental design. In order to maintain treatment--control symmetry, however, prior work has posited that it is necessary to use…

There is a long-standing debate as to whether nonexperimental estimators of causal effects of social programs can overcome selection bias. Most existing reviews either are inconclusive or point to significant selection biases in nonexperimental studies. However, many of the reviews, the so-called "between-studies," do not make direct…