Final answer:
Changes to an evaluation report may be required by project managers, program directors, or funding agencies to make the report useful for the intended audience. However, evaluators must maintain ethical standards and ensure that the modifications do not misrepresent the data. Feedback from peers and stakeholders can result in revisions, but the factual integrity of the report must always be preserved.
Step-by-step explanation:
Who May Require Changes to an Evaluation Report?
Changes to an evaluation report may be requested by various stakeholders involved in a project or by those who manage the program being evaluated. This includes, but is not limited to, project managers, program directors, or funding agencies. For instance, program managers may need the evaluation report to reflect data in a format that is readable and understandable to them, such as using charts if they are more comprehensible than text. The objective is to make the evaluation results useful and usable for the program managers.
However, ethical considerations must be taken into account when such changes are requested. For example, in the Mini-Case Study Fourteen, a project manager asked for changes in the report that would enhance the appearance of a positive outcome but misrepresented the actual data. In such cases, the evaluator must adhere to ethical standards and ensure the evaluation process and outcome remain independent and truthful, even when the situation becomes challenging as depicted in the case study.
Evaluators may also make significant revisions based on feedback from peers or those involved in the program. It’s important that all suggestions for improvement be open to consideration in order to enhance the clarity, conventions, and coherence of the report. While revisions are common, holding true to the factual data and integrity of the report is paramount.