Introduction to evaluation methods

Welcome to Week 2. During this week, we’ll look at some of the methods you can use, as well as some key considerations regarding evaluation methods, such as ethics, rigour and combining different approaches.

This video provides an introduction to evaluation methods and shares a couple of key ideas about the types of information you’ll need to collect as part of your evaluation: quantitative and qualitative data.

• Quantitative data is data that can be quantified, or described in numbers.
• Qualitative data cannot be reduced to simple numbers and is related to feelings, behaviours and attitudes.

Each data type is useful in different ways: you can also use them together.

Have your say

• Which evaluation methods are you familiar with?
• What have you experienced previously as an evaluator or participant?

Share and discuss your thoughts with other learners in the Comments section. Are there any suggestions made by other learners you also have experience of?