Mapping the evaluation capacity building landscape: A bibliometric analysis of scholarly communities and themes

Eval Program Plann. 2023 Aug:99:102318. doi: 10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2023.102318. Epub 2023 May 19.

Abstract

Evaluation capacity building (ECB) continues to attract attention. Over the past two decades, a broad literature has emerged-covering the dimensions, contexts, and practices of ECB. This article presents findings from a bibliometric analysis of ECB articles published in six evaluation journals from 2000 to 2019. The findings shed light on the communities of scholars that contribute to the ECB knowledge base, the connections between these communities, and the themes they cover. Informed by the findings, future directions for ECB scholarship and how bibliometric analysis can supplement more established approaches to literature reviews are discussed.

Keywords: Bibliometric analysis; Evaluation capacity; Evaluation capacity building; Literature review; Research on evaluation.

MeSH terms

  • Bibliometrics
  • Capacity Building*
  • Humans
  • Program Evaluation
  • Publications*