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Welcome to the Research on Evaluation (RoE)      Topical Interest Group (TIG)!

Mission

The Research on Evaluation (RoE) Topical Interest Group (TIG) seeks to advance the practice and standing of Research on Evaluation among members of the American Evaluation Association.   

The RoE TIG works to provide a venue for discussing, learning about, and promoting the use of Research on Evaluation amongst evaluation practitioners and academics, with the goal of supporting evaluators to explore and adopt high-quality evaluation practice.

About the RoE TIG

The Research on Evaluation Topical interest group launched in 2011 and now has approximately 550 members.

Key areas of interest include:

  • Defining research on evaluation
  • Research on evaluation practice
  • Research on evaluation methodology
  • Research on evaluation theory

What exactly is Research on Evaluation?

The term “research on evaluation” (also called RoE) has been used to encompass a broad range of inquiry methods, both systematic and unsystematic, that examine evaluation theories, methods, and practices (Coryn et al., 2016). With the goal of providing greater clarity and specificity, RoE scholars have begun considering operational definitions of “research on evaluation”.

Chris Coryn and colleagues (2016) for example, define research on evaluation as:

“Any purposeful, systematic, empirical inquiry intended to test existing knowledge, contribute to existing knowledge, or generate new knowledge related to some aspect of evaluation processes or products, or evaluation theories, methods or practices”  (Coryn et al., 2016, p.3).

Fierro (working definition) contributes another useful definition that adds the importance of RoE for informing the practice of evaluation: 

"A research investigation that generates findings with the intended purpose of creating a stronger evidence base and infrastructure for the applied practice of evaluation" (Fierro, working definition). 

While Coryn et al. carefully explore what research on evaluation is about, Fierro expands to include the intentionality and purpose of research on evaluation.

In 2019, the Research on Evaluation TIG held a number of discussions about what RoE means to the group. These two definitions and understandings rose to the top. Our understanding of what research on evaluation is (and isn't) is constantly evolving and we need your voice to help us!

Stay Current

Peer Learning Circles Return!
For 2022-2023, we are hosting Peer Learning Circles on a quarterly basis. The next one will be April 24, 11-12pm ET. You can complete early registration here.

2022-2025 RoE TIG Leadership
TIG Chair: Esther Nolton;
Program Co-Chairs: Rachael Kenney & Rebecca Teasdale; Website Coordinator: Amanda Sutter; FFF Program Coordinator: Tatiana Bustos

2022 Annual Meeting

The last annual meeting was held November 2022 via Zoom. In addition to TIG-related business, we hosted Susan Tucker for a presentation and discussion on professionalization.

Past Webinars & Resources

The RoE TIG offers online sessions related to RoE throughout the year to supplement our offerings at the American Evaluation Association's Annual Meeting. Please contact Rachael Kenney & Rebecca Teasdale if you are interested in presenting on RoE.

April 15, 2022
Getting Started with Research on Evaluation Webinar
Audio presentation   Slide deck and Handout
Webinar presenter:
Dana Wanzer, PhD (University of Wisconsin- Stout)

November 4, 2021
Research on Evaluation Topical Interest Group Annual Meeting
Video presentation   Slide deck

Understanding and Addressing Potential Harm in Evaluation Practice
Video presentation   Slide deck   Breakout Room Questions
Webinar presenters:
Mariana Branco (World Bank Independent Evaluation Group [IEG])
Stephen Porter (World Bank Independent Evaluation Group [IEG])

January 28, 2021
The Faster Forward Fund (3F): Funding Opportunities for Those Committed to Accelerating the Theory & Practice of Evaluation
Video presentation   Slide deck
   Expression of Interest in becoming a 3F Reviewer
Webinar presenter:
Sarah Mason, PhD (Center for Evaluation Research at Ole Miss)

August 25, 2020
Inclusive Methods in the Evaluation of Outreach Education Programs: Reflective Journaling and Participant Observations
Video presentation   Slide deck

Webinar presenter:
Sondra LoRe (National Institute for STEM Evaluation and Research [NISER] Evaluation Manager at University of Tennessee, Knoxville)

January 22, 2020
International Collaboration for RoE: The ISEE Experience
Video presentation   Slide deck

Webinar presenters:
Amy Gullickson, PhD (Centre for Program Evaluation at University of Melbourne)
Leanne Kallemeyn, PhD (School of Education, Loyola University Chicago)

April 23, 2020
Getting RoE Published
Video presentation   Slide deck

Webinar presenter: 
J. Bradley Cousins, PhD (Faculty of Education, University of Ottawa)

We ask for your patience as we get our past webinars linked here.

New Events & Resources

Back by popular demand: Research on Evaluation (RoE) Peer Learning Circles!

Last year, the RoE TIG held our first peer learning event to discuss topics related to RoE. We are excited to launch a new series of Peer Learning Circles in response to member requests and feedback. These events will be quarterly: July, October, January, & April.

Please join us for the third session on April 24, 2023, 11-12pm ET. https://bit.ly/roe-04-24. Everyone with RoE interest or experience is welcome: evaluation practitioners, students, academics, and more! The even will have breakout rooms for discussion in small groups on some of these topics:

  1. Generating ideas & designing RoE
  2. Conducting & implementing RoE
  3. Writing & disseminating RoE
  4. Funding & support systems for RoE

Please note that due to being discussion-based, we will not be recording these events. 

RoE 101 Zotero Library

As a follow-up from the webinar "Getting Started with Research on Evaluation" led by Dr. Dana Wanzer in April (available on the TIG resources tab), we have compiled all citations that came up during the session and are sharing for anyone who wants to dive into all essential RoE reading which can be viewed here: https://www.zotero.org/groups/4698645/intro_to_research_on_evaluation/library. Note that the Zotero library only provides links to resources and not the PDFs of resources themselves because that would infringe on copyright. However, Google Scholar, university libraries, and other resources can help you find the PDFs of articles if a general internet search does not bring them up.

If you would like to help manage the collection, click this link to join: https://www.zotero.org/groups/4698645/intro_to_research_on_evaluation. We'll be limiting membership to those who want to help maintain the database, but all others can access the public library at the first link.