Eval Academy

View Original

Ethics

Ethics are moral principles that determine how we behave.

In evaluation, ethics examines the risks and benefits of conducting or participation in the evaluation process. The aim is to minimize identified risks.

Ethics are the processes that ensure an evaluation is designed with to respect the rights of participants and that harm does not come to participants.

Ethical practice in evaluation has a place in planning, designing data collection tools, data collection, analysis and reporting.

Ethical risks can apply to people, projects and system. Common risks related to ethical evaluation include: anonymity and confidentiality, minimizing bias, maintaining transparency, privacy, fairness, and respect. 

See also these articles: Ethical Decision Making in Evaluation,
Putting an ethics lens on your evaluation planning
And our infographic: Questions to Ensure Your Evaluation is Ethical Infographic

Return to the Evaluation Dictionary