This study focuses on theory-based evaluation for assessing development impact. The study is an introduction and a how-to guide on how these methods can be used in practice. An important purpose is to show how theory-based evaluation can become more useful, reliable and transparent by clarifying how confidence in evidence are assessed in relation to theories of change. Theory-based evaluations are important as they are frequently used in development aid and among evaluators. They enable answers to how and why questions that are important for evaluations to contribute to learning.
The study is EBA’s fourth report on methods for evaluating development cooperation.
Author: Barbara Befani
Chair, reference group: Janet Vähämäki
Project manager at the EBA: Markus Burman
Expected delivery of report: April 2021