Journal Articles

Realistic Evaluation and Case Studies: Stretching the Potential

---

Embedded in the critical realist tradition, this article aims to explore the potentialities of the case study for evaluation purposes when complexity and specificity are moderate.Three objectives are pursued. First, it is stated that the focus of the evaluation effort is not necessarily the programme itself, but can be one premise upon which the programme is built. Second, taking into account Donald Campbell's contributions, it is asserted that, under favourable conditions, not only deterministic propositions, but also probabilistic ones can be rejected as highly improbable via case studies. Third, making use of the Context—Mechanism—Outcome model proposed by Pawson and Tilley, this article demonstrates the capacity of a critical case study to sustain theory building.

---

Availability

No copy data

Detail Information

Series Title

Evaluation

Call Number

-

Publisher

United States : Sage Publication., 2009

Collation

-

Language

English

ISBN/ISSN

13563890

Classification

-

Content Type

-

Media Type

-

Carrier Type

-

Edition

Volume 15, Number 1, January 2009. pp. 9-30

Subject(s)

Realistic evaluation
Theory testing and building
Causal mechanisms
Realistic Evaluation and Case Studies

Specific Detail Info

-

Statement of Responsibility

-

Other version/related

File Attachment

Comments

---

You must be logged in to post a comment