First steps for a research on evaluation study

Abstract Information: When describing evaluation, most of us come up with words about logic modelling, data collection and analysis, program effectiveness, needs, implementation, outcomes, and impact for our community partners and clients. Some of us, however, are invited or expected to conduct research on evaluation (RoE), often as part of our work or graduate studies. How then, do we orient ourselves to conducting research on evaluation? This session will give a broad introduction to conducting research on evaluation including helpful frameworks, information about scope, and ways of helping identify gaps in the knowledge base in evaluation. Specific examples will be drawn from the presenter’s career conducting RoE on evaluator education programs and evaluators as their own professional group, and augmented with recent examples of work done by advanced and recent graduates from their PhD program.