The BetterEvaluation Resource Library contains hundreds of curated and co-created resources related to managing, conducting, using, and strengthening capacity for evaluation.
You can use the search field and filtering on this page to find resources that you are interested in or you can browse our extensive list. An alternative way to find resources best suited to your needs is to explore the Rainbow Framework, where you can find resources relating to evaluation methods, approaches and tasks.
How to design and manage equity-focused evaluations
This guide from UNICEF is divided into two parts. It begins by defining equity and its importance and relevance today.Causal criteria methods manual
This manual details the 8-step causal criteria framework, a method that can be used to integrate information from different data sources.Making causal claims
This brief, authored by John Mayne for the Institutional Learning and Change (ILAC) Initiative argues the need for a different perspective on causality.Mixing methods for rich and meaningful insight
The different perceptions of participants regarding the effectiveness of a project can, at times, be hard to identify.Set-theoretic methods for the social sciences: A guide to qualitative comparative analysis
This book, by Schneider and Wagemann, provides a comprehensive overview of the basic principles of set theory to model causality and applications of Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA), the most developed form of set-theorQuasi-experimental methods for impact evaluations
This video lecture, given by Dr Jyotsna Puri for the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie), demonstrates how the use of quasi-experimental methods can circumvent the challenge of creatingOverview: Strategies for causal attribution
This guide, written by Patricia Rogers for UNICEF, looks at the process of causal attribution with a particular emphasis on its use in impact evaluation.Sinopsis: estrategias de atribución causal
Uno de los aspectos esenciales de una evaluación de impacto es que no solo mide o describe cambios que han ocurrido, sino que también procura entender la función de determinadas intervenciones (es decir, programas o políticas) en la generacPrésentation des stratégies d'attribution causale
L’un des éléments essentiels d’une évaluation d’impact est qu’il ne s’agit pas seulement de mesurer ou de décrire les changements survenus, mais également de comprendre le rôle joué par certaines interventions particulières (programmes ou pProcess tracing and contribution analysis: A combined approach to generative causal inference for impact evaluation
This article, written by Barbara Befani and John Mayne for the IDS Bulletin (Volume 45 Number 6), outlines how the combined use of contribution analysis (CA) with process tracing (PT) can shift the focus of impUNICEF webinar: Overview: strategies for causal inference
What is causal attribution? Do you need a counterfactual to determine if something has caused a change? Professor Patricia Rogers provides an overview of how to determine causal attribution in impact evaluations.Making rigorous causal claims in a real-life context: Has research contributed to sustainable forest management?
This article discusses an impact evaluation that examined the contribution of two forestry research centres - the Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) and the Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pourThe rigor of case-based causal analysis: Busting myths through a demonstration
This paper focuses on the utilisation of case-based designs for conducting causal analysis and dispelling two misconceptions about their use in the context of evaluation.Using qualitative comparative analysis to explore causal links for scaling up investments in renewable energy
This paper illustrates how qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) was used to identify causal pathways for scaling renewable energy to meet sustainable development and climate goals.Beneficiary assessment: An approach described
This paper describes the World Bank's approach to the Beneficiary Assessment approach.The book of why: The new science of cause and effect - Book review
This review of The Book of Why: The New Science of Cause and Effect attempts to explain "reclaiming causal" from the perspective of an influential statistician and thinker.Monitoring and evaluation for thinking and working politically
This article explores the challenges of monitoring and evaluating politically informed and adaptive programmes in the international development field. Authors Thomas Aston, Chris Roche, Marta Schaaf & Sue Cant.Cracking causality in complex policy contexts
This blog post addresses the challenge of making credible causal claims and discusses experiences from developing the Qualitative Impact Protocol (QUIP). Author James CopestakeLost causal: Debunking myths about causal analysis in philanthropy
This 2021 paper, updated in 2024, advocates for more causal analysis in philanthropic evaluation - not just describing actions taken and changes observed, but also learning how and why change occurred.Best practices compendium on outcome budgeting
This resource from the Development Monitoring and Evaluation Office, Government of India, is designed to assist government entities in shifting from input and output-focused budgeting to an outcomes-oriented approach.Measuring unintended effects in peacebuilding: What the field of international cooperation can learn from innovative approaches shaped by complex contexts
This paper explores how peacebuilding programs can identify unintended effects using adaptive management and participatory methods.Practical approaches to theories of change in conflict, security, and justice programmes - part II: Using theories of change in monitoring and evaluation
This guide offers practical advice for using theories of change in the monitoring and evaluation stages of conflict, security, and justice programmes.The evaluation of politics and the politics of evaluation
This paper, written by Chris Roche and Linda Kelly for the Development Leadership Program (DLP), argues for the use of a mixed methods approach to monitoring and evaluation of programs that 'work politically'.Designing and conducting health systems research projects Volume 2: Data analyses and report writing
This guide provides 13 modules designed to demonstrate aspects of data analysis and report writing.A guide to monitoring and evaluating policy influence
Using a literature review and interviews, this paper aims to provide an overview of the different approaches to monitoring and evaluating policy influence.Randomised control trials for the impact evaluation of development initiatives: a statistician's point of view
This paper from the Institutional Learning and Change (ILAC) Initiative provides a range of technical and practical reflections on the use of randomised control trials in impact evaluation.Impact evaluation in practice
This book from the World Bank provides a detailed introduction to impact evaluations in the development field. It also provides several tools and approaches for conducting impact evaluations.Broadening the range of designs and methods for impact evaluations
The working paper, written by Elliot Stern, Nicoletta Stame, John Mayne, Kim Forss, Rick Davies and Barbara Befani for the UK Department for International Development (DFID), describes how theory-based, case-based and pHigh school employment: Meaningful connections for at-risk youth
This research paper from the Urban Institute uses instrumental variable methods in order to estimate the effect that employment in high school will have on the long term education outcomes of students.What “extras” do we get with extracurriculars? Technical research considerations
This research paper uses Instrumental Variable methods to analyse whether "participation in out-of-school extracurricular activities improve academic achievement or behavior for elementary school children?Better late than never: Workforce supply implications of later entry into nursing
This report analyses nurse workforce data from 2005 and concludes that the lack of interest in nursing may have been temporary, mainly confined to young people choosing their first career.Soft systems methodology: A thirty year retrospective
Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) can be used to gain understanding of complex relationship drive situations and their contexts.