Although interest in evaluation research is burgeoning, there is agreement about neither
the character of evaluative activities nor the technical methods used in their application.
The intent of this paper is to provide a broad taxonomy of assessment activities and
methodological alternatives. Based on the first-order characteristic of evaluation pur
pose, six assessment categories are identifted. It is argued that the choice of method
should be contingent on the objective of the evaluation, and that a typology can serve
as a basis for communication and assist in the choice of an appropriate methodology.
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