Ontologies, Methods and Evidences: Fostering the Use of Mixed Methods with Accuracy

The debate on ‘evidence-based policy making’ deal with the role of evaluation, and of social sciences, in affecting the design of public programs. The reflection of many scholars is often translated in methodological terms and the preference of RCT designs is quite often the result. Indeed, we sustain a wider pluralism in the use of methods in evaluation, considering the different meanings that the term ‘evidence’ could have if we consider both the complexity of policies and the needs of the policy makers. Moreover, we suggest strategies to improve the relevance of the evaluators role in the policy making.