Advocacy Impact Evaluation

Sun, 08/31/2008 - 12:52 — Cristina Sette

Publication Type:

Journal Article

Authors:

Michael Q. Patton

Source:

Journal of MultiDisciplinary Evaluation, Volume 5, Number 9, p.1-10 (2008)

URL:

http://www.partos.nl/uploaded_files/patton_journalAdvocacy_Impact_Evaluation181.pdf

Keywords:

advocacy; Evaluation; Impact; Patton

Abstract:

Advocacy and policy change evaluations focus on policy as the unit of analysis rather than the more traditional program or project. There is growing interest in this form of evaluation as evidenced by a new American Evaluation Association Topical Interest Group with this focus. (See http://www.eval.org/aboutus/organization/tigs.asp.) Julia Coffman (2007) began her important article ?What's Different About Evaluating Advocacy and Policy Change?? by noting what's not different. I want to reaffirm her perspective. Advocacy evaluation, like all evaluation, is guided by the profession's Principles and Standards. Advocacy evaluation can be, and I believe should be, utilization-focused (Patton, 2007). That means focusing the evaluation on intended use by intended users, and evaluating the evaluation by that standard.