Evaluation Roots; Theory Influencing Practice Third Edition

Demonstrating how evaluation practice is shaped and enhanced by theoretical frameworks, the third edition of the influential “theory tree” book delivers a major update—featuring over 80% new content and a stronger emphasis on equity and theory-driven approaches. This edition shifts focus from individual theorists to the theories themselves, offering a more streamlined and practical guide for evaluators.

Each chapter, authored by leading experts, explores a specific theory’s purpose, the types of evaluations it best supports (such as formative, summative, adaptive, or summary formative), the scale of programs it suits, its key prescriptions, and observable actions that exemplify the theory in practice. Readers will gain valuable insights and tools to choose the right approach based on context, evaluation phase, program size, and their own values.

New in This Edition:

• New chapters on culturally responsive evaluation, Indigenous evaluation, and developmental evaluation.

• A theory-centered structure for easier comparison and application.

• Greater focus on real-world use, with a dedicated chapter summarizing the aims, techniques, and standards of theory-based evaluations.

• A case study on how theory informs evaluation policy.