ABSTRACT
Remember from the outset that evaluation can be simple and is something that we all do all the time without thinking. We are always judging the importance and value of things. However, many of us make quick judgments and realize that we should be more careful to get the right information and to use it in the right way in order to reach our final judgment. When this happens it makes evaluation more complex. Systematic evaluations are different from everyday evaluation in that they make careful definitions of what is to be evaluated, and of the information needed, as well as careful selection and use of methods for collecting and analysing the information. The literature on evaluation highlights a range of approaches as well as the differences in the questions emphasized by each approach. The evaluator has to know about a range of methods and approaches in order to choose the best method for the purpose of the particular evaluation. To understand any evaluation it is necessary to appreciate some basic terms as listed below.
