Evaluation of Development Projects - Syllabus
Topic One: Introduction: What is evaluation? What is its role in development?
Week 1: Introduction and Course Overview
Week 2: The Purposes of Evaluation
Center for Global Development, 2006. “When will we ever learn?”, Evaluation Gap Working
Group. pp.1-45
Naidoo, Kumi. 2004. The End of Blind Faith? Civil Society and the Challenge of
Accountability, Legitimacy, and Transparency. Accountability Forum 2: 14-25.
OECD-DAC, 1991. “Principles for Evaluation of Development Assistance”. pp. 1-8.
OECD-DAC, 2006 “Evaluation Quality Standards”. pp. 1-8.
Rossi, P, M. Lipsey, and H. Freeman. 2004. “Chapter 1: An Overview of Program Evaluation” in
Evaluation: a Systematic Approach. Pp. 1-27
United Nations Evaluation Group (UNEG). 2005. “Norms for Evaluation in the UN System”(pp.
1-11)
Week 3: The Use and Misuse of Evaluations
Ebrahim, Alnoor. 2005. Accountability Myopia: Losing Sight of Organizational Learning.
Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly 4(1): 56-87.
Powell, Mike. 2006. Which Knowledge? Whose Reality? An Overview of Knowledge
used in the Development Sector. Development in Practice 16(6): 518-532.
Pritchett, L. 2002. “It pays to be ignorant: a simple political economy of rigorous program
evaluation”, Journal of Policy Reform v.5 n.4, pp. 251-269.
Schwandt, Thomas A. 2003. ‘Back to the Rough Ground!’ Beyond Theory to Practice in
Evaluation. Evaluation 9(3): 353-364.
Strathern, Marilyn. 2000. The Tyranny of Transparency. British Educational
Research Journal 26(3): 310-323.
Weiss, C. H. 1999. The Interface Between Evaluation and Public Policy Evaluation 5: 468-486
Topic Two: Planning effective evaluation: Types of evaluation and results frameworks
Week 4: Evaluation Approaches
Government of Canada. “Program Evaluation Methodologies: Measurement and Attribution of
Program Results” Chapter 2: Evaluation Strategies, pp 12-35.
Holvoet, Nathalie, and Robrecht Renard. 2003. Desk Screening of Development
Projects: Is It Effective? Evaluation 9(2): pp 173-191.
Recommended:
Rossi, P, M. Lipsey, and H. Freeman. 2004. Chapter 2: “Tailoring Evaluations” and Chapter 3:
“Identifying Issues and Formulating Questions” in Evaluation: a Systematic Approach.
pp 31-100; and Chapter 11: “Measuring Efficiency”, pp. 331-368.
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Ninan KN, Lakshmikanthamma S.. 2001. “Social cost-benefit analysis of a watershed
development project in Karnataka, India.” Ambio. 2001 May;30 (3):157-61.
Week 5: Results-Based Evaluation Framework
CIDA. 2000. “Results-Based Management Handbook on Developing Results Chains”, pp. 2-30.
Poole, Dennis, J. Davis, J. Reisman, Joan E. Nelson. 2001. “Improving the Quality of Outcome
Evaluation Plans”. Nonprofit Management and Leadership 11(4): 405-421.
W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Updated January 2004. Logic Model Development Guide: Using Logic
Models to Bring Together Planning, Evaluation & Action. Battle Creek, Michigan. 72
pages.
World Wildlife Fund, “Basic Guidance for Tools: Results Chains”, October 2005. pg 1-11.
Case Study:
Crawford, Paul, J. Perryman, and P. Petocz. 2004. Synthetic Indices: A Method for Evaluating
Aid Project Effectiveness. Evaluation 10(2): 175-192
Week 6: Results Chains and Links to Monitoring Systems
Presentations and discussion of students’ results chains (see Assignment #1Handout)
Discussion on monitoring:
Rossi, P, M. Lipsey, and H. Freeman. 2004. “Chapter 6: Assessing and Monitoring Program
Performance “ in Evaluation: a Systematic Approach. Pp. 169 – 202.
International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). 2002. in Managing for Impact in Rural
Development: A Guide for Project M &E. “Section 4: Setting up the M&E System” pp 41-21.
Topic 3: Case Studies in Evaluations
Week 7: Impact Evaluation (Part 1)
Baker, Judy L. 2000. Evaluating the Impact of Development Projects on Poverty: A Handbook
for Practitioners. Washington, D. C.: The World Bank. Chapters 1-2, pp. 1-39.
Duflo, E. and M. Kremer. 2003“ Use of Randomization in the Evaluation of Development
Effectiveness”, monograph pp. 2-32.
Hulme, D. 2000. “Impact Assessment Methodologies for Microfinance: Theory, Experience and
Better Practice’, World Development 28(1), 79-98.
Roche, Chris. 2000. “Impact assessment: seeing the wood and the trees” Development in
Practice, Volume 10, Numbers 3 & 4, pp 543-553.
Case Studies:
Duflo, E. P. Dupas, M. Kremer, and S. Sinei. 2006. “Education and HIV/AIDS Prevention:
Evidence from a randomized evaluation in Western Kenya”. Department of Economics
and Poverty Action Lab MIT. pp 2-23.
Gaile, G. UGNADA MICROFINANCE
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Morris, G and C. Barnes. 2005 “An Assessment of the Impact of Microfinance: A Case Study
from Uganda” ESR Review: Journal of Microfinance Archives Vol. 7, No. 1; Summer
2005, pp1-14.
Week 8: Impact Assessment (Part 2) / Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation (Part 1)
Impact Assessment (Part 2)
Case Study:
Skoufias, E. “PROGRESA and its Impacts on the Welfare of Rural Households in Mexico,
IFPRI, 2005. pp. 1-68.
Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation (Part 1)
Estrella, Marisol, and Jutta Blauert, Dindo Campilan, John Gaventa, Julian Gonsalves,
Irene Guijt, Deb Johnson, Roger Ricafort. 2000. Learning From Change: Issues and
experiences in participatory monitoring and evaluation. Ottawa: Institute of
Development Studies. Chapter 1 pp. 1-15.
Guijt, I., Arevalo, M. and K, Saladores, “Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation: Tracking
Change Together” PLA Notes (1998), Issue 31, pp.28–36, IIED London.
USAID. 1996. “Conducting a Participatory Evaluation”, 1996 #1 (PN-ABS-539). Pp. 1-4.
Claus C. Rebien “Participatory Evaluation of Development Assistance: Dealing with Power and
Facilitative Learning” Evaluation, Vol. 2, No. 2, 151-171 (1996) located in CYU Library
at: HV41 .E915 v.2 1996.
Week 9: Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation (Part 2)
Chambers, R. and L. Mayoux. 2003. “Reversing the Paradigm: Quantification and Participatory
Methods” monograph. pp 1-18.
Gregory, A. 2000. Problematizing Participation: A Critical Review of Approaches to
Participation in Evaluation Theory. Evaluation. Vol. 6, No. 2, 179-199
Case Studies:
UNICEF. 2002. “Area-based development project Iran 1998-2000: Participatory Evaluation”
Universities of Medical Sciences of the Provinces of Hormozgan, Kohgiluye-Boyer
Ahmad, Kurdistan (Ministry of Health and Medical Education) and Centre for
Sustainable Development and Environment (CENESTA). Pp 1-41.
Mancini, F. “Comparative evaluation of participatory and conventional approaches to impact
assessment- A SWOT analysis.” Paper presented at a CIGAR Impact Assessment
Workshop, October 19-21, 2005 at CIMMYT Headquarters, Mexico. pp 1-12.
Vernhooy, Ronnie, Sun Qiu and Xu Jinchu. 2006. The power of participatory monitoring and
evaluation: Insights from south-west China. Development in Practice 16(5): 400-412.
Week 10: Programmatic Evaluations (Complex Evaluations)
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(Recommended) Greene, J. Caracelli V. and Graham W. ”Toward a Conceptual Framework for
Mixed-Method Evaluation Designs “Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, Vol.
11, No. 3 (Autumn, 1989), pp. 255-274
Case Study:
Rawlings, Sherburne-Benz and Van Domelen, 2004. Evaluating Social Funds: A Cross-Country
Analysis of Community Investments. World Bank. Chapters 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, and 9. Choose
one of the sectoral chapters (4, 5, 6).
http://wbln0018.worldbank.org/HDNet/HDDocs.nsf/0/571667A87E3DBAD585256BB40
04EABEE?OpenDocument or order the book
Week 11: Programmatic Evaluations (Complex Evaluations)
Presentations and discussions of student critiques of evaluations (see Assignment #2 Handout)
Week 12: Evaluating NGOs
Ebrahim, Alnoor. 2003a. Accountability in Practice: Mechanisms for NGOs. World
Development 31(5): 813-829.
Easterling, Doug. 2000. Using Outcome Evaluation to Guide Grant Making: Theory,
Reality, and Possibilities. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly 29(3): 482-486.
Mebrahtu, Esther. 2002. Perceptions and practices of monitoring and evaluation:
international NGO experiences in Ethiopia. Development in Practice 12(3&4): 501-517.
Walsh, Eohgan and Helena Lenihan. 2006. Accountability and Effectiveness of NGOs: adapting
business tools successfully. Development in Practice 16(5): 412-424.
Case Studies:
Feferman, Flavio. 2005. “Global Greengrants Fund Brazil Case Study”.pp.1-51.
Harvey, P. and N. Marongwe. 2006 “Independent Evaluation of Oxfam GB Zambia’s Emergency
Cash-Transfer Programme”. ODI. Pp. 6-44.
Topic 4: Evaluation challenges
Week 13: Evaluating Empowerment and Social Capital
Case Studies:
Cameron, John. 2006. A Participatory Approach to Evaluating the Impact of NGOs
on Development in Nepal. Development in Practice 16(1): 91-96.
Gibson and M. Woolcock. 2005. “Empowerment and Local Level Conflict Mediation in
Indonesia: A Comparative Analysis of Concepts, Measures, and Project Efficacy”. World
Bank. pp 1-30.
Guirguis, C., K. Huda and S. Rahman. 2005. “Building Social Capital for the Ultra Poor:
Challenges and Achievements.” CFPR-TUP Working Paper Series No. 6. BRAC, IDRC
and the Aga Kan Foundation. pp. 1-18
Kabeer, N. 2001. “Conflicts Over Credit: Re-Evaluating the Empowerment Potential of Loans to
Women in Rural Bangladesh”, World Development Vol. 29, No. 1, pp. 63-84, 2001
World Bank. 2006. “Thailand Social Capital Evaluation: A Mixed Methods Assessment of the
Social Investment Fund’s Impact on Village Social Capital” World Bank. pp. 11-42.
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Week 14: Evaluating Capacity Building and Advocacy Campaigns
Chapman, J., (2002) Monitoring and evaluating advocacy. PLA Notes, 43: 48-52
Mayoux, L. 2002. “Advocacy for Poverty Eradication and Empowerment: Ways Forward for
Advocacy Impact Assessment”. Monograph, pp 1-28.
Wing, Kennard. 2004. “Assessing the effectiveness of capacity building initiatives: Seven issues
for the field.” Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly 33(1): 153-160.
Case Studies:
Bennett-Lartey, S., R. Vodouhe, and J. Watts. 2003. “Capacity Development in Ghana’s Plant
Genetic Resources Centre: An Evaluation”. International Service for National
Agricultural Research (ISNAR), the Netherlands. pp. 1-28.
Nelson, P. 2000. “Heroism and ambiguity: NGO advocacy in international policy” Development
in Practice, Volume 10, Issue 3 - 4 pp. 478 - 490
NORAD, 2004. “Study of the impact of the work of FORUT in Sri Lanka: Building Civil
Society”, Evaluation/Study/5/2004, pp. 11-49
Topic 5: Final Projects
Week 15: Presentation of Final Team Projects
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