Teaching specification of evaluative criteria: A guide for evaluation education

Abstract

AbstractEvaluative criteria describe the attributes that define a high‐quality intervention and represent values about which intervention characteristics or results are desirable. There are many types of criteria, including those focused on intervention outcomes or impact, design and implementation, and relevance. Criteria may remain implicit and assumed in evaluation practice, yet they nonetheless direct evaluative inquiry and provide the value basis for evaluative conclusions. It is therefore important for novice evaluators to understand why criteria matter and how to thoughtfully consider which and whose criteria to use. We introduce an approach for teaching criteria specification to guide novice evaluators in considering, selecting, and articulating criteria. We introduce key concepts, outline an instructional approach, and provide a downloadable teaching activity for graduate students, undergraduates, and working professionals.