Applied Ethics for Program Evaluation

Book excerpt: How can an evaluator deal with ethical value issues in a way that does not smack of "ethical imperialism" or a knee-jerk prescriptive stance? Applied Ethics for Program Evaluation is aimed at sensitizing evaluators, potential clients, and stakeholders in program evaluation. Through use of vignettes, the authors provide the readers with ethical dilemmas and questions to stimulate thinking about the positive and negative consequences of each option. Following an introduction to ethical theories and principles, the authors propose a framework (based on Kitchner's five ethical principles) that can be used in weighing these options. The book concludes by providing valuable suggestions on how evaluators can make informed ethical decisions in their own evaluation practice.