Transcript PPT What is evaluation?

EVALUATION?
Adapted from W Kidd et al 2003
What does evaluation mean?
Making criticisms
Pointing out possible problems with
evidence
Showing comparisons between ideas
Showing contrasts between ideas
Saying what is good about an idea
Saying what is bad about an idea
Backing opinions up with evidence
Why is evaluation important?
Evaluation helps you pull all the ideas and
theories together
Some examination questions focus upon
evaluation
Evaluating at AS/A Level will help you at
university level
Developing evaluative skills will improve
your grades
How do we evaluate?
Use theories to criticise other theories
Think through the eyes of a theorist. For
example, how would Marxists or
postmodernists see a certain event
Make methodological criticisms about how
a study’s research was conducted
Use real life examples as evidence with
which to assess what sociologists are
saying
Use historical examples as evidence to
support or criticise a theory
Some studies are conducted in order to
test other studies. Show how they
support/contradict these
Use synoptic tools to think about a study
or theory.
Note when a concept, study or theory was
created. Is it still useful?
Point out the good things about an idea as
well as the bad.
Point out political biases and valuejudgements in some theories. (Left
wing/right wing? Does this distort their
judgement?)
Assess the contribution made to sociology
by a theory; say what we would miss or
lack if the idea had not been invented.