Hypotheses about factors or risks which could affect the progress or success of an intervention. Intervention results depend on whether or not the assumptions made, prove to be correct (OECD Glossary of Key Terms in Evaluation and Results-based Management Terminology, 2002)

The ascription of a causal link between observed (or expected to be observed) changes and a specific intervention. Attribution refers to that which is to be credited for the observed changes or results achieved. It represents the extent to which observed development effects can be attributed to a specific intervention or to the performance of one or more partner taking account of other interventions, (anticipated or unanticipated) confounding factors, or external shocks (OECD Glossary of Key Terms in Evaluation and Results-based Management Terminology, 2002).

An independent, objective assurance activity designed to add value and improve an organization’s operations. It helps an organization accomplish its objectives by bringing a systematic, disciplined approach to assess and improve the effectiveness of risk management, control and governance processes. A distinction is made between regularity (financial) auditing, which focuses on compliance with applicable statutes and regulations; and performance auditing, which is concerned with relevance, economy, efficiency and effectiveness. Internal auditing provides an assessment of internal controls undertaken by a unit reporting to management while external auditing is conducted by an independent organization (OECD Glossary of Key Terms in Evaluation and Results-based Management Terminology, 2002).

An analysis describing the situation prior to a development intervention, against which progress can be assessed or comparisons made (OECD Glossary of Key Terms in Evaluation and Results-based Management Terminology, 2002).

The situation or condition which hypothetically may prevail for individuals, organizations, or groups were there no intervention was implemented (OECD Glossary of Key Terms in Evaluation and Results-based Management Terminology, 2002).

A method for understanding causal link between an intervention and its outcomes by comparing the observed results that occurred after implementation of the intervention to those that would be expected if the intervention had not been implemented. In practice, sometimes experimental design is attempted where two groups, which differ only with respect to the intervention that is under scrutiny, are compared; members of the experimental group experience the intervention which members of the control group do not experience. The key feature of experimental design is random assignment to the groups. More often, quasi-experimental designs are used i.e. research designs that use data analysis methods to mimic experimental design but do not attempt to set up experimental design. Where possible, natural experiment ie observational study in which an event or a situation that allows for the random or seemingly random assignment of study subjects to different groups is exploited. Counterfactual approach is criticized on the grounds that it seeks to isolate a bivariate relationship while in real life no such relationships occur because all interventions always are implemented in a concrete environment.

Methodologies used to identify information sources and collect information during an evaluation. Examples are surveys, interviews, focus groups, direct and participatory observation, collecting expert opinion, literature search (based on OECD Glossary of Key Terms in Evaluation and Results-based Management Terminology, 2002).

Intended or unintended change due directly or indirectly to an intervention. Usually synonymous with result (OECD Glossary of Key Terms in Evaluation and Results-based Management Terminology, 2002).

The extent to which an intervention’s objectives were achieved, or are expected to be achieved, taking into account their relative importance (based on OECD Glossary of Key Terms in Evaluation and Results-based Management Terminology, 2002).

A measure of how economically resources/inputs (funds, expertise, time, etc.) are converted to results (based on OECD Glossary of Key Terms in Evaluation and Results-based Management Terminology, 2002).

A social and politizised practice of describing and establishing value of an intervention, that nonetheless aspires impartiality or fairness, so that evaluation can contribute meaningfully to interventions in the policy area and more generally to well-being of people in that specific context influenced by the interventions. The aim is to determine the relevance and fulfilment of objectives, efficiency, effectiveness, impact and sustainability (based on Fox et al 2017; OECD Glossary of Key Terms in Evaluation and Results-based Management Terminology, 2002).

An evaluation that is performed before implementation of an intervention (based on OECD Glossary of Key Terms in Evaluation and Results-based Management Terminology, 2002).

An evaluation that is performed after the implementation of an intervention (based on OECD Glossary of Key Terms in Evaluation and Results-based Management Terminology, 2002).

The evaluation of an intervention conducted by entities and/or individuals outside the entity responsible for the design and implementation of the respective intervention and outside the donor of the intervention (based on OECD Glossary of Key Terms in Evaluation and Results-based Management Terminology, 2002).

Evaluation intended to improve performance, most often conducted during the implementation phase of projects or programmes (OECD Glossary of Key Terms in Evaluation and Results-based Management Terminology, 2002).

Positive and negative, primary and secondary long-term effects produced by an intervention (based on OECD Glossary of Key Terms in Evaluation and Results-based Management Terminology, 2002).

An evaluation carried out by entities and persons free of the control of those responsible for the design and implementation of an intervention. The credibility of an evaluation depends in part on how independently it has been carried out. Independence implies freedom from political influence and organizational pressure. It is characterized by full access to information and by full autonomy in carrying out research and reporting findings, formulating conclusions and recommendations part of the evaluation (based on OECD Glossary of Key Terms in Evaluation and Results-based Management Terminology, 2002).

Quantitative or qualitative variable that provides a reliable means to measure changes in a concept that is connected to an intervention (based on OECD Glossary of Key Terms in Evaluation and Results-based Management Terminology, 2002).

The financial, human, and material resources used for an intervention (based on OECD Glossary of Key Terms in Evaluation and Results-based Management Terminology, 2002).

A specific policy, programme, project, activity or set of activities intended to bring about change in some aspect(s) of the status of the target population (based on Glossary of Monitoring and Evaluation Terms, UNAIDS, 2010).

It may have too meanings:

• a) a study designed to aggregate findings from a series of evaluations.
• b) Assessment of a completed evaluation to describe its features and judge its quality and/or performance of the evaluators (based on OECD Glossary of Key Terms in Evaluation and Results-based Management Terminology, 2002).

Evaluation performed during the period of implementation of the intervention, possibly near mid-point of the intervention (OECD Glossary of Key Terms in Evaluation and Results-based Management Terminology, 2002).

A continuing function that uses systematic collection of data on specified indicators to provide management and the main stakeholders of an ongoing intervention with indications of the extent of progress and achievement of objectives and (usually) progress in the use of allocated funds. (OECD Glossary of Key Terms in Evaluation and Results-based Management Terminology, 2002).

The direct products or deliverables of an intervention, such as the number of participants or events organised, the number of youth counselling sessions etc. (based on Glossary of Monitoring and Evaluation Terms, UNAIDS, 2010).

Participatory evaluation is a general set of principles of how to carry out an evaluation, not a specific data or data analysis method. Specifics of participatory evaluation include involving different stakeholders in generation and interpretation of data on the intervention under scrutiny. As such, it is by definition activist and invasive type of evaluation, not a one, which explicitly seeks to provide objective, unbiased information about an intervention.

A form of theory-based evaluation. The main tenet of this approach is that outcomes of an intervention are not determined only by the intervention that is implemented but depend on the intervention and the environment, where the intervention is implemented. Realistic evaluation develops and then empirically tests the hypotheses about what outcomes are produced by what mechanisms in what contexts (based on the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, 2012).

The extent to which the objectives of an intervention are consistent with beneficiaries’ needs and expectations, stakeholders’ priorities and policies (based on OECD Glossary of Key Terms in Evaluation and Results-based Management Terminology, 2002).

A study conducted after concluding implementation of an intervention or pre-designated implementation period (or in final phase of an intervention) to determine the extent to which anticipated outcomes were produced. Summative evaluation is intended to provide information about the effects of the intervention (based on OECD Glossary of Key Terms in Evaluation and Results-based Management Terminology, 2002).

The continuation of benefits from an intervention after completion its implementation (based on OECD Glossary of Key Terms in Evaluation and Results-based Management Terminology, 2002).

Theory based evaluations are evaluations that on step one develop an articulate theory of change, or a set of minitheories that relate to the phenomena and intervention and then, based on empirical analysis, choose one of the theories to explain the effects of the intervention. As such, this general approach is an alternative to the counterfactual approach that seeks to isolate the relationship between the intervention and outcomes only (based on the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, 2012.)

Theory of change (TOC) takes a wider look at the phenomena addressed and specifies causal mechanisms that are expected / hypothesised to connect a concrete intervention and a desired change in society. The main value and contribution of TOC is that a clear formulation makes the details and processes that are believed to be important clear and visible. This creates an explicit understanding of the intervention and how it is expected to work, which in turn enables the formulation of shared terms that is a necessary prerequisite for effective communication about the intervention (based on Fox et al. 2017; Centre for Theory of Change).