Editing Evaluation (section)

===Objectivist, elite, quasi-evaluation===
As a group, these five approaches represent a highly respected collection of disciplined inquiry approaches. They are considered quasi-evaluation approaches because particular studies legitimately can focus only on questions of knowledge without addressing any questions of value. Such studies are, by definition, not evaluations. These approaches can produce characterizations without producing appraisals, although specific studies can produce both. Each of these approaches serves its intended purpose well. They are discussed roughly in order of the extent to which they approach the objectivist ideal.
* [[Experiment|Experimental research]] is the best approach for determining [[Causality|causal relationships]] between [[variable (math)|variables]]. The potential problem with using this as an evaluation approach is that its highly controlled and stylized [[methodology]] may not be sufficiently responsive to the dynamically changing needs of most human service programs.
* [[Management information system]]s (MISs) can give detailed information about the dynamic operations of complex programs. However, this information is restricted to readily [[Numerical data|quantifiable]] data usually available at regular intervals.
* [[Educational assessment|Testing]] programs are familiar to just about anyone who has attended school, served in the military, or worked for a large company. These programs are good at comparing individuals or groups to selected norms in a number of subject areas or to a set of standards of performance. However, they only focus on testee performance and they might not adequately sample what is taught or expected.
* [[Project objective|Objectives]]-based approaches relate outcomes to prespecified objectives, allowing judgments to be made about their level of attainment. The objectives are often not proven to be important or they focus on outcomes too narrow to provide the basis for determining the value of an object.
* [[Content analysis]] is a quasi-evaluation approach because content analysis judgments need not be based on value statements. Instead, they can be based on knowledge. Such content analyses are not evaluations. On the other hand, when content analysis judgments are based on values, such studies are evaluations.