STRATEGIES FOR DEALING WITH THE ISSUE OF SUBJECTIVITY IN EVALUATION

• NCJ Number: 52875
• Journal: EVALUATION QUARTERLY Volume: 2 Issue: 4 Dated: (NOVEMBER 1978) Pages: 631-645
• Author(s): T J GOODRICH
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 15 pages
• Grant Number(s): 17269
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Corporate Author: Sage Publications, Inc
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: PARTS OF THIS ARTICLE WERE PRESENTED AT EVALUATION NETWORKS THIRD ANNUAL MEETING, SEPTEMBER 1977, ST LOUIS, MISSOURI

Annotation

A CONCEPTUAL APPROACH TO DEALING WITH SUBJECTIVITY ON THE PARTS OF EVALUATIVE RESEARCHERS AND THE OBJECTS OF THEIR INVESTIGATIONS IS OUTLINED.

Abstract

EVALUATORS CUSTOMARILY PROTECT THEMSELVES AGAINST THE CHARGE OF SUBJECTIVITY IN WAYS THAT PREVENT THEM FROM ADDRESSING PHENOMENA OF CENTRAL IMPORTANCE TO THE SOCIAL SYSTEMS IN WHICH BOTH EVALUATION AND THE PROGRAMS TO WHICH IT IS DIRECTED TAKE PLACE. THESE PHENOMENA ARE THE EXPECTATIONS, BELIEFS, FEARS, MOTIVATIONS, AND INTERESTS OF ALL PARTIES CONCERNED IN AN EVALUATIVE UNDERTAKING. WHEN SUCH FUNDAMENTAL ISSUES ARE PURPOSELY AVOIDED IN THE INTERESTS OF OBJECTIVITY, SOMETHING IS AMISS. STRATEGIES ARE SUGGESTED TO HELP EVALUATIVE RESEARCHERS DEAL WITH THEIR OWN PHILOSOPHICAL FOUNDATIONS, WITH THE SUBJECTIVITY OF THE OBJECTS OF THEIR STUDIES, AND WITH THEIR OWN SUBJECTIVITY AS OBSERVERS. THE BASIC ARGUMENT IS THAT THERE MUST BE A CLEAR DISTINCTION BETWEEN SUBJECTIVITY AS AN INDICTMENT AND SUBJECTIVITY AS A RESOURCE THAT PROVIDES EVALUATORS WITH BOTH TOPICS TO STUDY AND THE WHEREWITHAL TO STUDY THEM. TO ARRIVE AT THIS DISTINCTION, RESEARCHERS MUST REORIENT THEIR THEORY AND METHODS SO THAT THE INTERPRETIVE CHARACTER OF SOCIAL INQUIRY IS MADE EXPLICIT, RATHER THAN CONCEALED IN VAIN PURSUIT OF A SCIENTIFIC MODEL THAT DOES NOT FIT SOCIAL SCIENCE. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LKM)