Technical Advisor Social Science, Monitoring and Evaluation
Qualitative evaluation does not follow formulas—it interprets meaning, context, and complexity in ways that numbers alone cannot. This document, produced by the National Centre for Social Research for the UK Cabinet Office, delivers a rare and rigorous framework for assessing quality in qualitative evaluation. It moves beyond vague notions of “rigour” to offer a structured set of guiding principles, appraisal questions, and indicators tailored specifically to policy-related research. Whether the method is in-depth interviews, focus groups, observation, or document analysis, the framework helps practitioners systematically judge credibility, relevance, and robustness. – It introduces four foundational principles: research should be contributory, defensible, rigorous, and credible – It presents 18 detailed appraisal questions, each with quality indicators tied to every stage of the qualitative process – It clarifies how to use the framework in different evaluation types, from policy formulation to programme review – It discusses philosophical assumptions and draws on 29 existing frameworks and expert interviews to justify every element This is not a checklist—it’s a tool for judgment, reflection, and excellence in qualitative inquiry. For M&E professionals, researchers, and evaluators navigating policy spaces where nuance matters, this guide reshapes what quality looks like—and how it should be assessed.