This “roundup” review of evaluation blogs, podcasts, and webinars covers the second half of 2025. It discusses the rise of two new podcasts on realist evaluation, reflecting on perspectives of realist evaluation’s distinctiveness and the state of current debates on contentious issues such as on realist interviews and realist trials. It also continues to trace the debate regarding what counts as evidence discussed in roundup review IV in blogs regarding discussions at the Australian Evaluation Society Conference. The review identifies evidentiary criteria as a possible entry point to move beyond debates on evidence hierarchies. It highlights reflections on the benefits and challenges of pre-defining criteria for making evaluative judgements related to complex change processes.
Thomas Aston (Sat,) studied this question.