Summative Evaluation

An evaluation is a systematic and purposeful collection and analysis of data used to document the effectiveness of programs or interventions. Rigorous evaluation can determine if programs or interventions should be maintained, improved, or eliminated. The term summative evaluation (sometimes referred to as ex-post evaluation or outcome evaluation) was first introduced in the mid-1960s by Lee Cronbach and Michael Scriven and refers to a process of evaluating a program’s or intervention’s impact or efficacy through careful examination of program design and management. It is often used to assess the accountability of a program or intervention. As such, summative evaluation is outcome focused more than process focused and most often undertaken at the end of the project, when the program or intervention is stable and/or when program services are implemented with consistency (otherwise known as fidelity). Furthermore, there are some types of summative evaluation that require the collection of baseline data in order to provide a before and after understanding; thus, it is important to factor this into the evaluation. Summative evaluation is undertaken to determine whether the program or intervention achieved its goals, objectives, or outcomes; how the program’s impact compares to different programs; and to better understand the process of change, what works, what doesn’t, and why.