Grandma Moses and the "Corruption" of Data

1 August 1978

journal article
research article
Published by SAGE Publications in Evaluation Quarterly

Vol. 2 (3) , 363-373
https://doi.org/10.1177/0193841x7800200301

Abstract

Distortion of data is caused by purposeful, goal-oriented activity of people who produce data, as well as by attempts to cheat or manipulate social service delivery systems. Failure to recognize a constructive motivational component is attributed to an over-reliance on positivism in the social sciences. It is argued that increased regulation may actually increase distortion and decrease the availability of valid information about social services. Legitimization, self-knowledge, and understanding dynamic processes are suggested as alternatives to using program evaluation for measuring effects of social intervention.

Keywords

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