Template: Recording assessment using multiple lines and levels of evidence (mlle) criteria

This template can be used when doing a Multiple Lines and Levels of Evidence analysis, to record all the lines of evidence available for each evaluation question.

It was developed by the New South Wales (NSW) Government Office of Environment and Heritage.

Excerpt

"The following criteria/questions should be considered:

• Is the evidence relevant to the issue? Is this evidence expected to be in the study area?
• Is there a reliable explanation for the evidence in the study area?
• Is this evidence restricted to particular spatial or temporal situations? Is there evidence of a relationship (spatial or temporal) between the activity and the response to that activity?
• Does the expected response always occur in the presence of the activity? Is the response always evident after the activity occurs?
• Are there consistent findings across different lines of evidence? Is there a credible linkage between intervention and response? A clear relationship between the activity and the response would be expected where the investment was based on a conceptual model of the system. Consistency of association between the activity and the response is observed where testing the evidence against all the criteria provides positive findings.
• Is there any other evidence that should be considered? Determine whether there is evidence from other investments or management activities in which the expected change occurred after the activity. Determine whether there is any basis for including additional assessment criteria. Consider where appropriate."

Source: New South Wales (NSW) Government Office of Environment and Heritage 'Using the template'