Evaluation and Incrementalism: The AIR Report and ESEA Title VII

Abstract

breed of social scientists emerged, specializing in social science utilization for policymaking. They found that policymakers do use social science and evaluation research findings in various ways (see, e.g., Caplan, Morrison, & Stambaugh, 1975; Rich, 1977; Weiss, 1977a, 1977b). I propose that evaluation influence is a function of the incremental nature of policymaking. While there is evidence that policymakers use evaluation in many ways, it is almost impossible to attribute particular policies to research or evaluation findings. Much misunderstanding about the role of evaluation in policy development derives from too narrow a definition of policy. Policy is more than individual decisions. Policy encompasses the universe of possible decisions about a social issue or program.