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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 over 500 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

Upcoming Event: Peer Learning Circle: 

Topic: Conducting Research on Evaluation as a Graduate Student

Date: April 25th, 12:00pm ET - 1:00pm ET

Audience: Current, recent, and prospective graduate students interested in RoE projects. Faculty interested in supporting graduate student RoE.

Join us to discuss and learn about folks' experiences learning about RoE, getting involved with RoE projects, and undertaking RoE dissertations and theses! Participants will leave better connected to the RoE community and with strategies to develop their RoE work.

Meeting Registration - Zoom

RoE TIG Elections

We are excited to announce the new 2025 TIG leadership!

Current RoE TIG Leadership

Contact the RoE TIG leadership here: aearesearchonevaluationtig@gmail.com

  • TIG Chair: Rebecca Teasdale
  • TIG Co-Chair: Sandra Ayoo
  • Program Chair: Michael Osei;
  • Program Co-Chair: Kelly McGinn
  • Communications & Website Coordinator: Emily Murtaugh
  • Activities Coordinator: Valerie Marshall;
  • Members-at-Large: Cecilia Eva Beloqui, Pamela Leggett-Robinson, Rooba Moorghen, & Omodolapo Somo-Aina

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 Valerie Marshall if you are interested in presenting on RoE.

October 8, 2024

  • 2024 Annual Business Meeting: Lifting up Diverse Evaluator Voices: Our Identities, Ethos, and Practice. 
  • Video Presentation
  • Guest speakersPadma Kannan, Paidamoyo Chikate, Doris Espelien, and John LaVelle

2024 Series

  • Research on Evaluation TIG Webinars Sponsored by Faster Forward Fund
  • Rethinking Public – Private Sector Partnerships in Developing Countries: Lessons from Kenya with Munyiva Mutinda on January 10, 2024 at 6pm PT/9pm ET.  Recording Slides
  • Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion in NSF-funded ATE Evaluation with Drs. Ayesha Boyce and Tiffany L. S. Tovey and Neelakshi Rajeev Tewari on January 30 2024 8-9 AM PT.  Recording & Slides
  • Attitudes, Experience, and Education on Values and Valuing in Evaluation: Results from a Mixed Method Study with Valerie Marshall on February 16 2024, 12 – 1 PM PT. Recording & Slides
  • Catalysts of Systemic Change: A Community-Led Evaluation of Colombia's Justice System with Dr. Juanita Bernal Alvarado on March 15 2024, 11-12 PM PT/2 -3 PM ET. Recording & Slides

October 17, 2023

  • 2023 Annual Business Meeting: Defining Research on Evaluation: Evolving understandings of what RoE is (and isn’t)
  • Video presentation  Slide deck 
  • Panel discussants: Ruth Aston, PhD (University of Melbourne), Dana Linnell, PhD (University of Wisconsin- Stout), Mel Mark, PhD (Penn State)

April 15, 2022

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

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)

New Events & Resources

Join the RoE TIG on April 25th for a Peer Learning Group specifically focused on conducting research as a graduate student! Learn from other current, recent, and prospective graduate students and faculty supporting graduate students and leave with strategies to develop your RoE work. 

 

RoE 101 Zotero Library

As a follow-up from the webinar "Getting Started with Research on Evaluation" led by Dr. Dana (Wanzer) Linnell 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.