Summative Evaluation
In: The SAGE Encyclopedia of Educational Research,
Measurement, and Evaluation
By: Anthony Jason Plotner
Edited by: Bruce B. Frey
Book Title: The SAGE Encyclopedia of Educational Research, Measurement, and Evaluation
Chapter Title: “Summative Evaluation”
Pub. Date: 2018
Access Date: June 19, 2022
Publishing Company: SAGE Publications, Inc.
City: Thousand Oaks,
Print ISBN: 9781506326153
Online ISBN: 9781506326139
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781506326139
Print pages: 1636-1637
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An evaluation is a systematic and purposeful collection and analysis of data used to document the
effectiveness of programs or interventions. Rigorous evaluation can determine if programs or interventions
should be maintained, improved, or eliminated. The term summative evaluation (sometimes referred to as ex-
post evaluation or outcome evaluation) was first introduced in the mid-1960s by Lee Cronbach and Michael
Scriven and refers to a process of evaluating a program’s or intervention’s impact or efficacy through careful
examination of program design and management. It is often used to assess the accountability of a program
or intervention. As such, summative evaluation is outcome focused more than process focused and most
often undertaken at the end of the project, when the program or intervention is stable and/or when program
services are implemented with consistency (otherwise known as fidelity). Furthermore, there are some types
of summative evaluation that require the collection of baseline data in order to provide a before and after
understanding; thus, it is important to factor this into the evaluation. Summative evaluation is undertaken to
determine whether the program or intervention achieved its goals, objectives, or outcomes; how the program’s
impact compares to different programs; and to better understand the process of change, what works, what
doesn’t, and why.
Understanding Summative Evaluation
Summative evaluation is also often conducted or undertaken by people considered independent or external
of the responsible project. The methods used to gather the data used in a summative evaluation should
incorporate a detailed step-by-step procedure that is carefully designed and executed to ensure the data are
accurate and valid. A balance of both quantitative and qualitative methods can help researchers obtain a
better understanding of project achievements and information that led to these achievements. The various
instruments or tools used to collect data when conducting a summative evaluation include interviews,
questionnaires, surveys, observations, and testing.
Summative evaluations are conducted to determine the value of a program or intervention—its merit or worth,
often in comparison with other programs or interventions. Summative evaluation can enable stakeholders
to make decisions regarding specific services and the future direction of the program that cannot be made
during the beginning or middle of program or intervention implementation. By contrast, formative evaluation
(also known as process or implementation evaluation) is designed to form or improve the program or
intervention being evaluated by examining aspects of an ongoing program in order to make improvements
as the program is being implemented. Most evaluations can be summative (i.e., have the potential to serve
a summative function), but only some have the additional capability to serving formative functions. One way
to truly understand summative evaluation is to differentiate between formative and summative evaluation. It
is considered good evaluation practice to include both formative and summative evaluation. Table 1 shows
some fundamental differences between formative and summative evaluation.
Common Types of Summative Evaluation
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There are a variety of types of summative evaluations. Some of these types include cost-benefit/cost-
effectiveness analysis, goal-based evaluation, outcome evaluation, secondary analysis, meta-analysis, and
impact evaluations. Cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit analysis address questions of efficiency by
standardizing outcomes in terms of their dollar costs and values. Goal-based evaluation determines if the
intended goals of a program or intervention were achieved. Outcome evaluation investigates whether the
program caused demonstrable effects on specifically defined target outcomes. Secondary analysis examines
existing data to address new questions or use methods not previously employed. Meta-analysis integrates
the outcome estimates from multiple studies to arrive at an overall or summary judgment on an evaluation
question. Impact evaluation is broader and assesses the overall or net effects—intended or unintended—of
the program or intervention.
Table 1 Fundamental Differences Between Formative and Summative Evaluation
Formative Evaluation Summative Evaluation
Why? Purpose
Analyze strengths and weaknesses
Shape direction
Feedback
Improve a program or intervention
Goal achievement
Unintended consequences
How to improve
Evidence
Determine value or quality
When? Context
Project implementation
Primarily prospective
Project implementation
Postproject
Primarily retrospective
What? Information
Needs assessment
Process
Implementation
Acceptability
Efficacy
Impact
Outcomes
Results
Who? Evaluators Primary internal supported by external evaluators Primary external supported by internal evaluators
See also Evaluation; Formative Evaluation; Program Evaluation; Summative Assessment
Website
Web Center for Social Research Methods: www.socialresearchmethods.net
Anthony Jason Plotner
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SAGE Research Methods
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Further Readings
Coryn, C. L. S., & Scriven, M. (Eds.). (2008). Reforming the Evaluation of Research: New Directions for
Evaluation, Number 118. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Coryn, C. L. S., & Westine, C. D. (Eds.). (2015). Contemporary trends in evaluation research. Sage
Benchmarks in Social Research Methods (Vols. 1–4). London, UK: Sage.
Scriven, M. (1967). The methodology of evaluation. In R. W. Tyler, R. M. Gagne, & M. Scriven (Eds.),
Perspectives of curriculum evaluation (pp. 39–83). Chicago, IL: Rand McNally.
Scriven, M. (1991). Beyond formative and summative evaluation. In M. W. McLaughlin & D. D. Phillips
(Eds.), Evaluation and education: At quarter century (pp. 19–64). Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.
Wholey, J. S. (1994). Assessing the feasibility and likely usefulness of evaluation. In J. S. Wholey, H. P.
Hatry, & K. E. Newcomer (Eds.), Handbook of practical program evaluation (pp. 15–39). San Francisco, CA:
Jossey-Bass.
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2018 SAGE Publications, Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781506326139.n676
Summative Evaluation
In: The SAGE Encyclopedia of Educational Research, Measurement, and Evaluation