This blog is intended as a home to some musings about M&E, the challenges that I face as an evaluator and the work that I do in the field of M&E.Often times what I post here is in response to a particularly thought-provoking conversation or piece of reading. This is my space to "Pause and Reflect".
Thursday, October 06, 2011
Research vs Evaluation
I found this on AEA 365 and really like the way it explains the difference between research and Evaluation
There should also be something about use I think. Evaluation implies more immediate use, research generates a body of knowledge for use that is frequently less direct or immediate, sometimes use considerations may even be incidental. Evaluation is driven by an intention for use. But where do you put that on an hour glass?
I am so glad I came across this because I had been trying to explain the difference to a colleague and just could not find the best way to articulate it. The outcome evaluations we conduct are subjected to very similar processes as other research - sampling and methodology, the design of the data collection tools, the analysis. We also like to be able to publish and the general consensus is that no one would want to publish evaluation results. But you see we have a national programme that delivers HIV training to health care workers with the aim of affecting changes to attitudes and behaviours towards HIV and People living with HIV. Our evaluations yield some interesting results that support the need to continue training programmes etc. What is your opinion about publishing evaluation results?
I am so glad I came across this because I had been trying to explain the difference to a colleague and just could not find the best way to articulate it. The outcome evaluations we conduct are subjected to very similar processes as other research - sampling and methodology, the design of the data collection tools, the analysis. We also like to be able to publish and the general consensus is that no one would want to publish evaluation results. But you see we have a national programme that delivers HIV training to health care workers with the aim of affecting changes to attitudes and behaviours towards HIV and People living with HIV. Our evaluations yield some interesting results that support the need to continue training programmes etc. What is your opinion about publishing evaluation results?
We have had situations where the evaluation lent intself to publication. Sometimes the evaluation methodology was worth publishing, sometimes the results. In some cases where we wanted to publish the results, the client was very cagey about releasing the results to the general public. In those cases we generally do not push to hard.
4 comments:
There should also be something about use I think. Evaluation implies more immediate use, research generates a body of knowledge for use that is frequently less direct or immediate, sometimes use considerations may even be incidental. Evaluation is driven by an intention for use. But where do you put that on an hour glass?
I am so glad I came across this because I had been trying to explain the difference to a colleague and just could not find the best way to articulate it. The outcome evaluations we conduct are subjected to very similar processes as other research - sampling and methodology, the design of the data collection tools, the analysis. We also like to be able to publish and the general consensus is that no one would want to publish evaluation results. But you see we have a national programme that delivers HIV training to health care workers with the aim of affecting changes to attitudes and behaviours towards HIV and People living with HIV. Our evaluations yield some interesting results that support the need to continue training programmes etc. What is your opinion about publishing evaluation results?
I am so glad I came across this because I had been trying to explain the difference to a colleague and just could not find the best way to articulate it. The outcome evaluations we conduct are subjected to very similar processes as other research - sampling and methodology, the design of the data collection tools, the analysis. We also like to be able to publish and the general consensus is that no one would want to publish evaluation results. But you see we have a national programme that delivers HIV training to health care workers with the aim of affecting changes to attitudes and behaviours towards HIV and People living with HIV. Our evaluations yield some interesting results that support the need to continue training programmes etc. What is your opinion about publishing evaluation results?
We have had situations where the evaluation lent intself to publication. Sometimes the evaluation methodology was worth publishing, sometimes the results. In some cases where we wanted to publish the results, the client was very cagey about releasing the results to the general public. In those cases we generally do not push to hard.
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