Evaluationcharacterizing

Evaluationcharacterizing is a term used to describe the systematic practice of detailing and measuring the characteristics of an evaluation itself. It involves documenting the purpose, design, data sources, methods, procedures, and outputs of an evaluation to enable assessment of its quality, transparency, and replicability. As a relatively new term, it appears in discussions about evaluation quality assurance and learning-oriented assessment, rather than as a fixed standard.

Core elements typically characterized include the stated purpose and evaluation questions, the chosen design (experimental, quasi-experimental, or descriptive), data collection instruments, sampling frames, data quality and handling procedures, analytic methods, and reporting formats. Additional facets such as timeline, stakeholder roles, ethics, and governance structures are described to provide a complete picture of the evaluation’s context. Practical considerations like costs, feasibility, risks, and potential biases are also noted to illuminate limitations and boundaries of the findings.

Methods for evaluationcharacterizing rely on structured frameworks and checklists, documentary reviews (including logic models, theories of change, data dictionaries, and protocols), and the collection of metadata about the evaluation process. The resulting characterization can be compiled into a formal report and used in conjunction with meta-evaluation practices to enable comparisons across evaluations and institutions.

Applications and benefits include enhanced quality assurance, greater comparability between evaluations, improved transparency for funders and stakeholders, and support for learning and iterative improvement in evaluation design. Limitations arise from dependence on available documentation, potential subjectivity, and the need for agreed standards to avoid excessive administrative burden.