Congress Quote by Michael Scriven
““The first revolution is to transform the status of evaluation from untouchable to respectable , i.e., from the days a century ago when the value-free doctrine held that there could be no place for the serious treatment of evaluation within the sciences (or in the company of other respectable disciplines like history, jurisprudence, mathematics, etc.) to the days when even the National Academy of Sciences is doing evaluations at the request of Congress without protest from leading scientific and other professional organizations, and everyone will have good reasons for this acceptance.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Lecture on Evaluation Theory, 1990s
The quote argues that evaluation has shifted from being dismissed as unscientific to being widely accepted and institutionalized, even by prestigious bodies like the National Academy of Sciences.
In simple terms: Evaluation went from ignored to respected.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and support evaluation in your field.
Themes
evaluation
science
institutional change
credibility
Mood
reflective
optimistic
Type
analytical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- academic research
- government policy
- organizational decision making
- grant funding
- peer review
Key Concepts
philosophy of science
policy development
normative shift
Questions to Reflect On
- How has evaluation changed in your discipline?
- What barriers remain to its acceptance?
A Different Perspective
Some fields still resist formal evaluation, limiting progress.
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