Weiss' and Patton's competing views concerning the influence of program evaluation on decision-making are critiqued. Patton's approach provides an essential mechanism for achieving desired ends, once they are determined. Weiss' approach supplements that contribution by including not only expert development of means, but also expert selection of…

In spite of the scarcity of empirical studies of evaluation, such studies are critical to development of evaluation theory. Illustrative examples are given of studies of evaluation practice that operationalize theory. Although practitioners should continue public reflection, they must also focus on the independent and empirical study of…

Proposals satisfy a number of functions in evaluation work. This article examines how these functions differ depending on whether the proposal concerns a preordinate study in which methods are prespecified or an emergent study in which decisions about methods are made as the study proceeds. (Author/SLD)