The practice of evaluation: Partnership approaches for community change
| Published date | 01 December 2023 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/1035719X231164871 |
| Author | Liz Curran |
| Date | 01 December 2023 |
| Subject Matter | Book Review |
Book Review
Evaluation Journal of Australasia
2023, Vol. 23(4) 250–251
© The Author(s) 2023
Article reuse guidelines:
sagepub.com/journals-permissions
DOI: 10.1177/1035719X231164871
journals.sagepub.com/home/evj
The practice of evaluation:
Partnership approaches for
community change
Ryan P. Kilmer and James R. Cook (eds) The practice of evaluation: Partnership approaches for
community change. SAGE, 2021. ISBN 978-5063-6800-9
Reviewed by: Liz Curran, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK
This edited book with a range of contributors (in most chapters more than two
contributors) combines rich insights brought together coherently with an overview and
contextualisation by Kilmer and Cook as editors. The book will be extremely valuable
to early evaluators and experienced evaluators. It is particularly relevant to those who
want to see their evaluation work bring about change.
The book is practically useful and is highly recommended. It has a clear com-
munication style and makes a unique contribution with its inclusion of various array of
views and methodologies of a range of experienced evaluators who value profes-
sionalism, an evidence base and ethical practice.
The text shares insights from practitioners of evaluation shaped and informed by
their experience and research. Although it has theoretical underpinnings it is a practical
text. It examines practices that lead to good evaluation practice and detail on how to do
this including work with the not-for-profit sector and academia and in health service
settings. This includes the important role of partnering, collaborating, awareness and
inclusion of beneficiaries and the range of evaluative approaches and styles that are
suitable in different contexts and for varied circumstances.
What is exciting about this volume is that it does not only look at evaluation from the
point of view of the government or the funder commissioning the evaluation but it also
incorporates the not-for-profit sector incorporating different scale, the reality of limited
resources, reasons and rationales but all embedded in good practice.
What is particularly novel about this book is the way in which it scaffolds the
evaluator as a person who is ideally positioned to develop an evidence base to support
and facilitate staff and programmes in making the change that they desire from their
endeavours to create. There has been a gap in the literature also on the role of evaluation
in advocacy change, and the book brings this dialogue to the forefront given the
importance of an evidence base that is much needed in policy discussion.
The book is divided into three parts and 18 chapters. Each chapter clearly sets out the
learning objectives. Part I –Evaluation to support change: Guiding notions and
principles; Part II –Evaluation in practice: Selected strategies and Part III –Evaluation
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