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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

2024 Annual Business Meeting

The upcoming annual meeting will be held October 8, 2024, 2-3pm ET. Our featured presentation this year is Lifting up Diverse Evaluator Voices: Our Identities, Ethos, and Practice. We will also share findings from our recent TIG member survey and a conference preview. Register here for the Zoom link.

Current RoE TIG Leadership

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

  • TIG Chair: Rebecca Teasdale; 
  • Program Co-Chairs: Rachael Kenney & Michael Osei;
  • Communications & Website Coordinator: Amanda Sutter;
  • Activities Coordinator: Valerie Marshall;
  • Members-at-Large: Cecilia Eva Beloqui & Christine Liboon

2023 Annual Business Meeting

The last annual meeting was held October 17, 2023 via Zoom. In addition to TIG-related business, we hosted a Drs. Ruth Aston, Mel Mark, and Dana Linnell for a panel on the evolving definitions of RoE. See the TIG Resources page to watch the recording.

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.

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
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
Getting Started with Research on Evaluation Webinar
Audio presentation   Slide deck and Handout
Webinar presenter: Dana (Wanzer) Linnell, 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)

New Events & Resources

 

2024 Annual Business Meeting

The upcoming annual meeting will be held October 8, 2024, 2-3pm ET. Register here for the Zoom link.

Our featured presentation this year is Lifting up Diverse Evaluator Voices: Our Identities, Ethos, and Practice. Guest speakers include: Padma Kannan, Paidamoyo Chikate, Doris Espelien, and John LaVelle. Presenters will introduce three studies-in-progress that address questions about who evaluators are, how we show up, and how we make the important evaluation decisions that influence our practice and communities.

We will also share findings from our recent TIG member survey and a conference preview. We hope you will join us!

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.