ABSTRACT
This chapter examines codes of behaviour that should be applied to evaluative enquiry. These guidelines are predicated on a belief that evaluators, stakeholders and others should have reference points from which to judge whether evaluation practice is acceptable. The existence of professional standards can present moral dilemmas for the researcher working within or for an organisation. The researcher and the organisation need to reach agreement on the ethical principles that underlie an investigation. Evaluation is always conducted within the context of the needs of individuals or organisations, be they from the helping professions, government or private agencies. The evaluator can be regarded as an outsider or insider relative to the client, and the evaluative contribution might include that of consultant, educator or change agent. The Program Evaluation Standards are the result of the work of the Joint Committee on Standards for Educational Evaluation. The Joint Committee is sponsored by fifteen organisations, including the American Evaluation Association.
