What is evaluation?

Evaluation is the process of determining significance or worth, usually by careful appraisal and study. **Evaluation is the analysis and comparison of actual progress vs. prior plans, oriented toward improving plans for future implementation. It is part of a continuing management process consisting of planning, implementation, and evaluation; ideally with each following the other in a continuous cycle until successful completion of the activity.***Evaluation is the process of determining the worth or value of something. This involves assigning values to the thing or person being evaluated.

Here are some functions of evaluation:

• Answers the question "How well did we do?" (Qualitative evaluation)
• Answers the question "How much did we do? (Quantitative evaluation)

• Internal evaluation
• External evaluation
• Preliminary evaluation
• Formative evaluation
• Summative evaluation

• Concept module: evaluation
• In overview module: Glossary (Literacy): E
• In modular book: Glossary of literacy terms
• In document collection: Reference materials
• In bookshelf: Literacy

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 4.0, published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 1999. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 25 October 1999

© 1999 SIL International