Public Policy Evaluation Questions
The role of theory in public policy evaluation is to provide a framework and guide for understanding and analyzing the effectiveness and impact of policies. Theory helps to identify the underlying assumptions, causal relationships, and expected outcomes of policies, allowing evaluators to assess whether the policy is achieving its intended goals and objectives. It helps evaluators to develop hypotheses, select appropriate evaluation methods, and interpret the findings in a systematic and rigorous manner. Theory also helps to inform the design and implementation of evaluations by providing a basis for selecting relevant indicators, data collection methods, and evaluation criteria. Overall, theory plays a crucial role in shaping the evaluation process and ensuring that it is grounded in sound conceptual frameworks and evidence-based reasoning.