Evidence of Action must show what the team actually produced or carried out. High-quality evidence is closely connected to an action that is likely to make a positive difference and has been implemented well.
Learning Objectives
By The End Of This Lesson, You Should Be Able To
- Distinguish Evidence of Action from research and planning records.
- Select a suitable form of evidence for the chosen action.
- Carry out an action in an organised, ethical and adaptable way.
- Collect evidence that helps the team judge results.
- Explain how likelihood of impact and quality of execution affect marks.
What Evidence Of Action Means
Each team submits Evidence of Action showing what it has done. Suitable forms may include posters, leaflets, web pages, videos, presentations or photographs of an event. The form depends on the action. A video must not exceed 10 minutes, and material beyond that limit is not credited.
Evidence of Action must come from the action itself. It should not consist of research notes, source lists or photographs of early meetings. Those materials may be useful for the team log and Reflective Paper, but they do not demonstrate that the planned intervention occurred.
Examples Of Suitable Evidence
- A copy of the final guide distributed to new students, with photographs showing its use during orientation.
- A web page or digital resource created and launched for the target community.
- A short video showing key stages of a training session or community activity.
- Photographs of installed labels, displays or facilities produced through the project.
- A presentation delivered to an identified audience, supported by evidence that the delivery occurred.
- Materials and photographs from a practical event, campaign or service trial.
What The Evidence Should Communicate
A moderator should be able to identify the nature of the action, its intended audience and the quality of its implementation. Evidence should be clear, relevant and focused. A large quantity of repetitive photographs does not necessarily communicate more than a carefully selected set with brief context.
The team should protect privacy and obtain required consent before including identifiable images, recordings or quotations. Do not submit confidential personal information. Evidence should be authentic and should represent the team’s own work.
How Evidence Of Action Is Judged
The mark depends on two connected questions: how likely the action is to make a positive difference to the issue, and how well the action was carried out. An ambitious idea delivered poorly and a polished activity with little relevance may both be limited. The strongest work combines a research-informed action with effective execution.
Characteristics Of A Strong Action
- It addresses a cause, barrier or need identified through research.
- It reaches an appropriate target group or decision-maker.
- Its content or method is accurate, accessible and suitable for the audience.
- The team carries it out rather than only planning it.
- Responsibilities, timing and resources are managed effectively.
- Practical problems are handled without losing the purpose of the project.
- The team collects enough evidence to judge what happened.
Managing The Action Day Or Action Period
Before implementation, confirm permissions, locations, materials, technology, contact people, safety arrangements and responsibilities. Use a checklist and identify who will collect Evidence of Action and measurement data. The person leading the activity should not also be expected to photograph, count participants and solve every technical problem.
During the action, record attendance or participation where relevant, follow the agreed procedure and note unexpected events. If a change is required, the team should communicate quickly and agree how to protect the objective. After the action, secure files, check that evidence is usable and record immediate observations while details are fresh.
Measuring Results
Evidence of Action and evidence of success are related but not identical. A poster proves that the team produced a poster. It does not prove that the audience understood it or changed behaviour. Success evidence may include baseline and follow-up counts, questionnaires, interviews, observation records, usage data, participant work or feedback from a relevant stakeholder.
The team should compare results with its original success measures. It should report both positive and negative evidence. Selective reporting weakens evaluation. If participation was lower than expected or the target was not met, investigate possible reasons instead of claiming success without support.
Interpreting Short-Term Results Carefully
A school project often operates for a limited time. It may show immediate reach, understanding, participation or early behaviour change, but it may not prove long-term impact. Use cautious language such as “the results suggest” or “during the trial period” where appropriate.
Consider alternative explanations. An increase in library use may result partly from a new assignment. Reduced waste may result from lower attendance. Participant feedback may be positive because respondents want to please the team. These limitations do not make the project worthless; they help the team judge the evidence honestly.
When The Action Does Not Go As Planned
A project can still provide valuable learning when results are weak. The team should distinguish between the quality of the idea, quality of implementation and external circumstances. Perhaps the action addressed the right cause but reached too few people. Perhaps the event was well organised but the method did not influence behaviour. This analysis will support the Reflective Paper.
Example Evaluation
The team’s digital safety workshop was delivered clearly and all planned activities were completed. Post-session responses showed improved recognition of phishing messages, suggesting an immediate learning effect. However, only one class participated, and the survey was completed immediately after the workshop, so the team could not establish whether knowledge was retained or whether online behaviour changed.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Submitting research slides as Evidence of Action.
- Including only a photograph of team members standing together.
- Producing attractive material that is not delivered to the target audience.
- Collecting feedback with leading questions designed to show success.
- Ignoring unsuccessful results or external factors.
- Using identifiable photographs or personal data without appropriate permission.
- Submitting a video longer than 10 minutes.
Quick Check
Questions
- Why are research notes not Evidence of Action?
- What two broad features determine the Evidence of Action mark?
- Why does a poster not prove that the action succeeded?
- What should the team do immediately after completing the action?
- How should short-term results be described?
Suggested Answers
Research notes show investigation, not the action that was undertaken. Marks reflect the action’s likely positive difference and how well it was carried out. A poster proves production but not audience understanding or behaviour change. The team should secure evidence, check files and record observations and results. Short-term results should be described cautiously, with limitations and alternative explanations considered.
