| Session Title: Evaluation Use TIG Business Meeting and Presentation: Recapturing the "Golden Age" of Research on Evaluation Use |
| Business Meeting Session 498 to be held in SEGUIN B on Friday, Nov 12, 7:00 AM to 7:50 AM |
| Sponsored by the Evaluation Use TIG |
| TIG Leader(s): |
| J Bradley Cousins, University of Ottawa, bcousins@uottawa.ca |
| Susan Tucker, Evaluation & Development Associates, sutucker1@mac.com |
| Presenter(s): |
| J Bradley Cousins, University of Ottawa, bcousins@uottawa.ca |
| Discussant(s): |
| Christina Christie, University of California, Los Angeles, tina.christie@ucla.edu |
| Melvin Mark, Pennsylvania State University, m5m@psu.edu |
| Abstract: Over the past two decades several authors and contributors have sounded the call for increased attention to empirical research on evaluation as a way to advance the field (e.g., Christie, Cousins, Henry, Mark, Shadish, N. Smith, Scriven). The recent establishment of the TIG-Research on Evaluation represents an important step in this direction. Yet there continues to be no AEA award devoted to research on evaluation and published empirical studies remain variable and skewed toward reflective case narratives. Interestingly, much of the foundational literature on evaluation utilization was empirical and, following Henry and Mark (2003), this era might be thought of as the ‘golden age’ of research on evaluation use. Tina Christie (co-chair TIG-Research on Evaluation) and Mel Mark (AEA past president) reflect on the golden age of research on use and consider implications for the development and promotion of contemporary research on evaluation. |