TY - JOUR
T1 - Theorizing how interventions work in evaluation:
T2 - Process-tracing methods and theorizing process theories of change
AU - Camacho Garland, Gabriela Clara A
AU - Beach, Derek
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - This article argues for the importance of theory and theorizing for an evaluation in the form of a process theory of change. A process theory of change centers its theoretical attention on key episodes that explain how things worked, in which the causal linkages are unpacked. The key lies in answering why actors do what they do (and thus whether these actions can be traced back to the intervention). This theorization has three steps: (1) definition of intervention and potential contribution; (2) theorization of potential contribution pathways; and (3) unpacking the process. This procedure is illustrated with a hypothetical example.
AB - This article argues for the importance of theory and theorizing for an evaluation in the form of a process theory of change. A process theory of change centers its theoretical attention on key episodes that explain how things worked, in which the causal linkages are unpacked. The key lies in answering why actors do what they do (and thus whether these actions can be traced back to the intervention). This theorization has three steps: (1) definition of intervention and potential contribution; (2) theorization of potential contribution pathways; and (3) unpacking the process. This procedure is illustrated with a hypothetical example.
KW - causal linkages
KW - process theory of change
KW - process tracing
KW - theory of change
KW - theory-based evaluation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85173448844&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/13563890231201876
DO - 10.1177/13563890231201876
M3 - Journal article
SN - 1356-3890
VL - 29
SP - 390
EP - 409
JO - Evaluation: The International Journal of Theory, Research and Practice
JF - Evaluation: The International Journal of Theory, Research and Practice
IS - 4
ER -