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Contribution analysis

Coming of age

Bibliographic Data

ID12568024
AuthorsJohn Mayne (Independent advisor, Canada, corresponding author)
Year2012
Volume18
Issue3
Pages270-280
Publication date2012-07-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueEvaluation (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1356-3890 • E-ISSN: 1461-7153
PublisherSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/1356389012451663
OpenAlexW2164504586
LanguageEN
Citations received112
References cited16

In this introductory article, a brief history and introduction to contribution analysis is provided to lay the stage for the articles that follow. At the heart of contribution analysis is the aim to be able to make credible causal claims about the contribution an intervention is making to observed results. The key role that theories of change play is noted, and what a useful theory of change ought to contain is discussed. The article then makes a link between the philosophical discussions on causality and contribution analysis through a discussion of contributory causes. It is argued that such causes, which on their own are neither necessary nor sufficient, represent the kind of contribution role that many interventions play: where there are a number of other influencing events and conditions at work in addition to the intervention of interest. Contribution analysis is an approach to confirming that an intervention is a contributory cause

Causal analysis · Causality (physics · Economics · Epistemology · Intervention (counseling · Positive economics · Psychological intervention · Risk analysis (engineering · Sociology · Educational Assessment and Improvement · Evaluation and Performance Assessment · Medicine · Philosophy · Psychology · Public Policy and Administration Research

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Unique citing works112
Citations per year8
Citation span2012 - 2026 (15)
Citation velocitycurrent
Highly citedYes
Citation typesNeutral: 112
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