VIDEO: Impact Evaluation for Development - How impact #evaluation can facilitate in identifying and scaling up the right things to increase the chances of development interventions to work for the poor youtu.be/5WJ_gb_3QbQ via YouTube

The Mental Elf True - and this is why it is so important for respective evaluation research to also look into issues and negative impact and not just to "evidence positive outcomes". Everybody likes a success story but we have to also look into risks of treatments.

Aligning our impact evaluation efforts with development policy challenges requires: 1. Abandoning the claimed hierarchy of methods, with Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) at the top, and making clear that “scientific” and “rigorous” evidence is not confined to RCTs.

But as @harryrutter and colleagues so eloquently put it “[the] rhetoric urging complex systems approaches … is only rarely operationalised in ways that generate relevant evidence or effective policies” 3/

Fascinating reading not just for young and emerging evaluators in the top tips that Zenda Ofir host on her webpage: tinyurl.com/y7he6orc. We can all learn from these tips! EvalYouth Global Network

The IDS Contribution Analysis for Impact Evaluation course aims to equip individuals and organisations to more effectively design impact evaluations using a contribution analysis framing. Apply now buff.ly/2wR9DYt #ImpactEvaluation #ShortCourse #ProfessionalDevelopment

New CDI blog on the challenges of smallholder data collection by Agribusinesses in Africa. What does this mean for how we evaluate this sector? cdimpact.org/blog/smallhold… @Pete_OFlynn #Evaluation #Data #SDGs

Looking to expand your #impacteval skills? Join our five-day course for professionals on how to effectively design impact evaluations using a contribution analysis framing. buff.ly/2ONqIOE #evaluation #AEA18 #AEA

Thursday 8th November at 1pm. New CDI seminar delivered by @Pete_OFlynn and Seife Ayele of Institute of Development Studies on Agribusiness' data collection practices of smallholder farmers. What reflections can we take away for the #SDGs?

I don't think I've ever seen a more accurate description of the iterative nature of realist evaluation and synthesis! #RealistWorkshopNU

As researchers, we are often encouraged to use both qual and quant methods. But how difficult is this in practice and is it worth the extra effort? samsharp reveals all: What we’ve learnt doing mixed-methods behavioural research in Uganda odi.org/comment/10702-… (from ODI)

New #IDSbulletin (The Millennium Villages: Lessons on Evaluating Integrated #RuralDev) offers a series of articles on #integrateddev & "how best to know whether it works & why" – great summary via CDI/Institute of Development Studies's Chris Barnett: ids.ac.uk/opinions/refle…

Woop!! Article with @ivandiego + @NigelCulkin introducing Realist Evaluation to #ented competitions is *open access* for 2 months! Thank you IHE editors + @SAGE_EdResearch. #Ented colleagues, esp those who know #careers #ented teachers, please @ & RT - journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/09…