Introduction to the Magenta Book
This section describes the objectives, format and uses of the Magenta Book.
A downloadable
(pdf - 141.7kb) version of this document is also available.
The purpose of the Magenta Book
- The Magenta Book is a set of guidance notes for policy evaluators and
analysts, and people who use and commission policy evaluation.
- It has a strong focus on policy evaluation in government and is structured
to meet the needs of government analysts and policy makers.
- It is hoped that it may also meet the needs of analysts and users of
evaluation outside of government, and that it will stimulate dialogue
and collaboration between the worlds of government, academia and the wider
research and evaluation community.
Where did the idea come from?
- The Magenta Book has been developed in the context of the demands of
evidence-based policy making and the changing needs of analysis in and
for government
- A series of publications since 1997 have stressed the importance of
sound evidence, proper evaluation and good analysis at the heart of policy
making. The key documents are listed below at Figure 0.1
Figure 0.1
- This, in turn, has generated a demand for guidance on how to undertake
high quality evaluation, appraisal and analysis for policy making.
- This demand has been met by a number of important documents listed
in the section below
Other sources of guidance on policy evaluation
- The
'Green Book': appraisal and evaluation in Central Government: Treasury
guidance. HM Treasury, TSO, 2003. This provides guidance on economic
appraisal and evaluation. The Green Book promotes the ROAMEF (Rationale,
Objectives, Appraisal, Monitoring, Evaluation and Feedback) framework
for project appraisal and provides detailed guidance on the appraisal
of capital projects. Chapter 9 of The Magenta Book (on Economic Evaluation),
when published, will complement The Green Book by providing guidance for
social researchers who may be less familiar with economic thinking and
jargon.
- Integrated Policy Appraisal. Department for Transport,
2002. This tool for policy makers takes into consideration the economic,
social, environmental and distributional consequences of policies as well
as risk assessment, and the appraisal and evaluation of regeneration projects
and programmes.
- Better policy making: a guide to Regulatory Impact Assessment. Cabinet Office, Better Regulation Executive, 2003 now revised as:
Impact Assessment Guidance, updated 2007 - provides background information on the meaning and purpose of IAs and step by step guidance on the procedure for preparing and presenting them.
- Assessing
the impacts of spatial interventions: regeneration, renewal and regional
development: main guidance. Office of Deputy Prime Minister, 2003
- Research
Methods for Policy Evaluation (99kb) DWP, 2001 - The Department of
Work and Pensions (DWP), in conjunction with the National Centre for Social
Research (Purdon et al, 2001), has produced the above overview on some
of the main evaluation methodologies used within DWP, especially the evaluation
of active labour market programmes and policies.
Why is the Magenta Book needed?
- The Magenta Book complements these other sources of guidance by providing
a user-friendly guide for specialists and generalists alike on the methods
used by social researchers when they commission, undertake and manage
policy research and evaluation.
- It endeavours to provide guidance on social research methods for policy
evaluation in readable and understandable language. Where technical detail
is required, or it is necessary to expand on methodological procedures
and arguments, these are presented in boxed and shaded areas.
- It provides examples of evaluations that have used the available methods
appropriately and effectively, and it highlights what it is that is good
about them.
- The Magenta Book covers the broad range of methods used in policy evaluation,
and the approaches of different academic disciplines (social policy, sociology,
economics, statistics, operational research).
- It is driven by the substantive policy questions being asked of analysts,
rather than by methodological disputes between academic disciplines or
different schools of thought.
- It includes guidance on how to use summative and formative, quantitative
and qualitative, experimental and experiential methods of policy evaluation
appropriately and effectively.
What are the questions that it seeks to address?
The Magenta Book is organised around a number of questions that are frequently
asked about policy evaluation and analysis. Each of these questions provides
the framework for the chapters of the Magenta Book. These are set out in
Figure 0.2 below.
Figure 0.2
In answering these questions The Magenta Book provides guidance on:
- How to refine a policy question to get a useful answer
- The main evaluation methods that are used to answer policy questions
- The strengths and weaknesses of different methods of evaluation
- The difficulties that arise in using different methods of evaluation
- The costs involved in using different methods of evaluation, and the
benefits that are to be gained
- Where to go to find out more detailed information about policy evaluation
and analysis
How will the Magenta Book be published?
- The Magenta Book is published electronically and in instalments until
the complete set of evaluation questions that it addresses has been covered
(See Figure 0.2).
- Each chapter of the Magenta Book will have a set of guidance notes
and a background paper which will provide more detailed information and
guidance.
- The guidance notes offer a summary of key issues and enable the reader
to quickly access further sources of relevant information while the background
papers explore the issues covered in greater depth for those who are interested
in a more detailed discussion of methodological issues. Both the guidance
notes and background chapters can be accessed from this website. Background
papers are also available for download from the GSR
website
Training Opportunities
- The Magenta Book is linked to a series of training and professional
development modules in Policy Evaluation and Analysis that are being developed
by the Government
Social Research Unit (GSRU) for government analysts and policy makers
who use and commission policy evaluation.
- These modules are built around the principles of problem-based learning
and problem-based assessment, so that analysts can develop their analytical
skills by answering 'real life' analytical and policy problem that arise
in their everyday work. The possibility of accrediting these modules at
the Master's degree level is being considered.
> Magenta
Book contents
