This is the beginning of a new page that will list various sources of guidance on the development of Terms of Reference for an evaluation.
If you have suggestions for any additions (or edits) to this list please use the Comment function below.
- IEG World Bank: Writing Terms of Reference for an Evaluation: A How-To Guide (2011)
- DFID: Full-TORs-Template Evaluation Study Terms of Reference template May 2010 protocols and user guide (May 2010)
- UNIFEM: Guidance Note for Developing TOR for Evaluations (October 2009) PS: Sometimes this link does not work, if so then try this one
- CARE Ethiopia: Guideline for Preparing Terms of Reference for Evaluating Project/Program/Organization Performances/Results (March 2009)
- CARE Sierra Leone: Guidance for Evaluation ToRs by Jim Rugh for CARE Sierra Leone (June 2009)
- World Vision: Evaluation TOR Guidelines (Aug 2007)
- UNICEF Evaluation Technical Note: What goes into a Terms of Reference (ToR) (Dec 2003)
- CIDA guidance: How to Perform Evaluations – Model ToRs (plus alternate source). Part of a larger 10 part series: How to Perform Evaluations (April 2000)
- IFAD – A Guide for Project M &E – TOR for Mid-Term Review (pdf version) Undated! (possibly 2003)
- European Union’s EuropeAid – “This document is intended to provide guidance to staff in both Headquarter operational services and Delegations in the preparation of Terms of Reference for intermediate, final and ex-post evaluations.” Undated! See also the related Project / programme evaluations. Guidelines for the manager
Please also see the hundreds of examples of actual ToRs (and related docs) in the MandE NEWS Jobs Forum
PS: Jim Rugh has advised me (5 June 2010) that “two colleagues at the Evaluation Center at Western Michigan University are undertaking an extensive review of RFPs / ToRs they’ve seen posted on various listservs; they intend to publish a synthesis, critique and recommendations for criteria to make them more realistic and appropriate.“
