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Filter search resultsContribute to broader evidence base
Inform future policy and practice by others outside the organisation.MethodInform decision making aimed at improvement (formative)
Changing or confirming policies and practices.MethodInform decision making aimed at selection, continuation or termination (summative)
Identifying best value for money.MethodLobby and advocate
Justify expenditure and demonstrate achievements.MethodBuild trust and legitimacy across stakeholders
Develop better understandings of each other and demonstrate that expectations are being met.MethodEnsure accountability
Holding someone to account to someone for something.MethodEvaluation plans and operations checklist
This checklist from the Evaluation Checklists Project provides a guide to those interested in conducting a preliminary, formative metaevaluation.ResourceOutlier sampling
Outlier sampling focuses on the extremes – the end-points of the normal distribution bell-curve.MethodConfirming and disconfirming sampling
Confirming and disconfirming cases assist the evaluator in the confirmatory fieldwork stage of an evaluation.MethodTheory-based sampling
Theory-based sampling involves selecting cases according to the extent to which they represent a particular theoretical construct.MethodCriterion sampling
Criterion sampling involves the identification of a particular criterion of importance, articulation of this criterion, and systematic review and study of cases that meet the criterion.MethodSnowball sampling
Snowball or chain sampling is a method for locating information rich key informants and critical cases.MethodCritical case sampling
A critical case is one that permits analytic generalisation, as, if a theory can work in the conditions of the critical case, it's likely to be able to work anywhere.MethodHomogenous sampling
Homogenous sampling involves selecting similar cases to further investigate a particular phenomenon or subgroup of interest. The logic of homogenous sampling is in contrast to the logic of maximum variation sampling.MethodMaximum variation sampling
A maximum variation sample contains cases that are purposefully as different from each other as possible. This type of sampling is useful for examining range in large national or global programs.MethodIntensity sampling
Intensity sampling uses the same logic as extreme case sampling – that much can be learned from the ends of the distribution range – but with less emphasis on the extremes.MethodTypical case sampling
Typical case sampling allows the evaluator to develop a profile of what is agreed as average, or normal. These profiles can serve as illustrations for those unfamiliar with the program.MethodData rehearsal
Data rehearsal, a technique developed by Michael Patton, involves developing simulated reports of data before data collection and then workshopping these with primary intended users to see if this will meet their information needs.MethodPublic consultations
Public consultations are usually conducted through public meetings to provide an opportunity for the community to raise issues of concern and respond to options.MethodTriangulation
Triangulation facilitates validation of data through cross verification from more than two sources.MethodSequential data gathering
Sequencing is one way of combining qualitative and quantitative data by alternating between them.MethodParallel data gathering
Qualitative and quantitative data are gathered at the same time. For example, a closed-ended questionnaire to many service users is done at the same time as semi-structured observations of the service center.MethodConvenience sampling
Convenience sampling selection is based on the ease or "convenience" of gaining access to a sample.MethodKeypad technology
Keypads are used in group meetings to gauge audience response to presentations and provide valuable feedback in large group settings.MethodDeliberative opinion polls
The purpose of Deliberative Opinion Polls (DOPs) is to measure informed opinion on a particular issue.MethodPhotolanguage
Photolanguage is a projective technique to elicit rich verbal data where participants choose an existing photograph as a metaphor and then discuss it.MethodTelephone questionnaires
Respondents can be surveyed using questionnaires delivered by telephone.MethodConvergent interviewing
A convergent interview is a type of interview intended to explore issues widely through a combination of unstructured interviews and a maximum diversity sample.MethodSketch mapping
Sketch mapping is useful for creating a visual representation ('map') of a geographically based or defined issue drawn from the interpretation of a group or different groups of stakeholders.MethodGoal Attainment Scales
Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS) is a method that can be used as a means of measuring outcome data from different contexts set out on a 5 point scale of -2 to +2.MethodFuture search conference
A future search conference is a meeting that spans more than one day with the objective that participants identify a shared vision of the future towards which to aim.MethodBrainstorming
Brainstorming involves focussing on a problem and then encouraging participants to come up with as many solutions as possible.Method