A refined method for theory-based evaluation of the societal impacts of research
With high and increasing expectations for research to have social and environmental impact, there is a corresponding need for appropriate methods to demonstrate (for accountability) and analyze (for learning) whether and how research projects contribute to change processes. Evaluation is especially...
| Autores principales: | , , |
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| Formato: | Journal Article |
| Lenguaje: | Inglés |
| Publicado: |
Elsevier
2020
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| Materias: | |
| Acceso en línea: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/111878 |
| _version_ | 1855530231323951104 |
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| author | Belcher, B. Davel, R. Claus, R. |
| author_browse | Belcher, B. Claus, R. Davel, R. |
| author_facet | Belcher, B. Davel, R. Claus, R. |
| author_sort | Belcher, B. |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | With high and increasing expectations for research to have social and environmental impact, there is a corresponding need for appropriate methods to demonstrate (for accountability) and analyze (for learning) whether and how research projects contribute to change processes. Evaluation is especially challenging for problem-oriented research that employs inter- and transdisciplinary approaches and intervenes in complex systems, where experimental and statistical approaches to causal inference are inappropriate. Instead, theory-based evaluation can be applied to identify and test causal processes. This paper presents a detailed explanation of the Outcome Evaluation approach applied in Belcher et al. (2019b). It draws on concepts and approaches used in theory-based program evaluation and the more limited experience of theory-based research evaluation, providing a brief overview of conceptual strengths and limitations of other methods. The paper offers step-by-step guidance on application of the Outcome Evaluation approach, detailing how to: document a theory of change; determine data needs and sources; collect data; manage and analyze data; and present findings. This approach provides a clear conceptual and analytical framework in addition to actor-specific and impact pathway analyses for more precision in the assessment of outcomes. Specifically, the Outcome Evaluation approach: •Conceptualizes research within a complex system and explicitly recognizes the role of other actors, context, and external processes;•Utilizes a detailed actor-centred theory of change (ToC) as the analytical framework; and•Explicitly tests a set of hypotheses about the relationship between the research process/outputs and outcomes. |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | CGSpace111878 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2020 |
| publishDateRange | 2020 |
| publishDateSort | 2020 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| publisherStr | Elsevier |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace1118782024-10-03T07:40:54Z A refined method for theory-based evaluation of the societal impacts of research Belcher, B. Davel, R. Claus, R. evaluation research impact assessment With high and increasing expectations for research to have social and environmental impact, there is a corresponding need for appropriate methods to demonstrate (for accountability) and analyze (for learning) whether and how research projects contribute to change processes. Evaluation is especially challenging for problem-oriented research that employs inter- and transdisciplinary approaches and intervenes in complex systems, where experimental and statistical approaches to causal inference are inappropriate. Instead, theory-based evaluation can be applied to identify and test causal processes. This paper presents a detailed explanation of the Outcome Evaluation approach applied in Belcher et al. (2019b). It draws on concepts and approaches used in theory-based program evaluation and the more limited experience of theory-based research evaluation, providing a brief overview of conceptual strengths and limitations of other methods. The paper offers step-by-step guidance on application of the Outcome Evaluation approach, detailing how to: document a theory of change; determine data needs and sources; collect data; manage and analyze data; and present findings. This approach provides a clear conceptual and analytical framework in addition to actor-specific and impact pathway analyses for more precision in the assessment of outcomes. Specifically, the Outcome Evaluation approach: •Conceptualizes research within a complex system and explicitly recognizes the role of other actors, context, and external processes;•Utilizes a detailed actor-centred theory of change (ToC) as the analytical framework; and•Explicitly tests a set of hypotheses about the relationship between the research process/outputs and outcomes. 2020 2021-03-08T08:14:49Z 2021-03-08T08:14:49Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/111878 en Open Access Elsevier Belcher, B. Davel, R. Claus, R. 2020. A refined method for theory-based evaluation of the societal impacts of research. MethodsX, 7: 100788. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mex.2020.100788 |
| spellingShingle | evaluation research impact assessment Belcher, B. Davel, R. Claus, R. A refined method for theory-based evaluation of the societal impacts of research |
| title | A refined method for theory-based evaluation of the societal impacts of research |
| title_full | A refined method for theory-based evaluation of the societal impacts of research |
| title_fullStr | A refined method for theory-based evaluation of the societal impacts of research |
| title_full_unstemmed | A refined method for theory-based evaluation of the societal impacts of research |
| title_short | A refined method for theory-based evaluation of the societal impacts of research |
| title_sort | refined method for theory based evaluation of the societal impacts of research |
| topic | evaluation research impact assessment |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/111878 |
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