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Tamara: Journal for Critical Organization Inquiry

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Year 2013 
Volume 11 
Issue 4

Reflecting on evaluation research: Intersections of academy, community, and identity

Suzy D’Enbeau
Kent State University

Elizabeth Munz
West Chester University

Steven Wilson
Purdue University

Mohan Dutta
National University of Singapore

2013 11 (4) Tamara: Journal for Critical Organization Inquiry

Abstract

Communicative evaluation is a type of community-engaged scholarship that encourages collaboration between stakeholders and evaluators as they develop an action plan about a social problem. However, extant research has failed to adequately explore issues of power and identity encountered by communication evaluators in the field. Doing so could enrich assessment processes and outcomes to develop more nuanced theory and practice. Thus, we reflexively develop and integrate our personal stories and experiences of conducting communication evaluation research to highlight four dialectic identity tensions: (a) insider/outsider; (b) expert/novice; (c) program sustainer/impeder; and (d) researcher/friend. By displaying these tensions, we reveal potential opportunities for new insights that could offer pragmatic applications more attuned to the people and contexts of evaluation research. These tensions highlight the need for critical reflection in the pursuit of program sustainability and offer points for transformation. We conclude with pragmatic recommendations for engaging reflexivity in communication evaluation research.

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APA style

D’Enbeau, Suzy & Munz, Elizabeth & Wilson, Steven R. & Dutta, Mohan J. (2013). Reflecting on evaluation research: Intersections of academy, community, and identity. (2013). Reflecting on evaluation research: Intersections of academy, community, and identity. Tamara: Journal For Critical Organization Inquiry, 11(4), 53-66. (Original work published 2013)

MLA style

D’Enbeau, Suzy and Munz, Elizabeth and Wilson, Steven R. and Dutta, Mohan J.. “Reflecting On Evaluation Research: Intersections Of Academy, Community, And Identity”. 2013. Tamara: Journal For Critical Organization Inquiry, vol. 11, no. 4, 2013, pp. 53-66.

Chicago style

D’Enbeau, Suzy and Munz, Elizabeth and Wilson, Steven R. and Dutta, Mohan J.. “Reflecting On Evaluation Research: Intersections Of Academy, Community, And Identity”. Tamara: Journal For Critical Organization Inquiry, Tamara: Journal for Critical Organization Inquiry, 11, no. 4 (2013): 53-66.