Evaluation Roots: Theory Influencing Practice

Showing how evaluation practice looks when guided by theory, the third edition of the influential "theory tree" book is significantly revised with over 80% new material, including a greater focus on equity and theories over theorists. Chapters from leading authorities describe the goals of each theory; the type of evaluation for which it is appropriate (formative, summary formative, summative, adaptive); the size of the program for which it is most applicable; specific prescriptions; and observable actions that help to define the theory. Readers are given the tools to select suitable approaches for the size, contexts and stage of an evaluation and their own personal values.

New to This Edition
*Chapters on culturally responsive evaluation, Indigenous evaluation, and developmental evaluation.
*Organized around theories rather than individual theorists.
*Increased attention to practical applications, including a chapter distilling the goals, methods, and standards of evaluations based on each theory.
*Case study chapter on the role of theory in evaluation policy.


Author: Marvin C. Alkin
Publisher: Guilford Publications
Published: 02/14/2023
Pages: 318
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 1.10lbs
Size: 9.90h x 6.90w x 0.80d
ISBN13: 9781462551392
ISBN10: 1462551394
BISAC Categories:
- Social Science | Research
- Medical | Nursing | Research & Theory
- Education | Research

About the Author
Marvin C. Alkin, EdD, is Professor Emeritus in the Social Research Methodology Division of the School of Education and Information Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He has written extensively on evaluation practice, evaluation utilization, and comparative evaluation theory. Dr. Alkin is a founder and former Director of the UCLA Center for the Study of Evaluation. He has been a consultant to six national governments and has conducted more than 85 evaluations of a variety of educational, governmental, and foundation programs. He is a recipient of the Lazarsfeld Evaluation Theory Award and the Research on Evaluation Award from the American Evaluation Association.

Christina A. Christie, PhD, is Wasserman Dean and Professor in the School of Education and Information Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles. Her work has three main foci: applied evaluation research studies, research on evaluation practice, and theoretical analysis. Dr. Christie is a recipient of the Marcia Guttentag Early Career Award and the Research on Evaluation Award from the American Evaluation Association (AEA), as well as the Distinguished Scholar Award from the Research on Evaluation Special Interest Group of the American Educational Research Association. She has served on the board of the AEA and as an associate editor and section editor of the American Journal of Evaluation.