Scoring Criteria
Coherent contribution story integrates program, context, and co-factors. Told as one chain from inputs to outcomes, grounded in evidence. Internally consistent.
Story constructed with most elements integrated. Context and co-factors discussed but integration partial in places.
Narrative offered but largely describes the program in isolation. Context and co-factors treated as side notes.
No coherent story. Activities and outcomes listed but not woven into a causal account with external factors.
No contribution story. Outcomes stated without inferential bridge from program activities.
Explicit consideration of what might have happened without the program. Grounded in trend data, comparison, scenario, or expert judgment. Magnitude estimated. Limitations acknowledged.
Counterfactual reasoning present and grounded in at least one source. Magnitude discussed approximately. Limitations noted.
Some counterfactual thinking offered but not grounded in trend or comparison data. Magnitude not estimated.
Counterfactual reasoning is implicit or rhetorical without evidence basis.
No counterfactual reasoning. Program treated as if outcomes would not have occurred at all without it.
External co-factors named and bounded. Magnitude and direction assessed for each. Reinforcing or counteracting effects stated. Acknowledged where co-factors might fully account for an outcome.
Major co-factors named and bounded. Magnitude and direction discussed for most. Reinforcing or counteracting noted for the most material.
Some co-factors named but not bounded. Contribution discussed in general terms. Reinforcing effects not explored.
Co-factors mentioned in passing or only in limitations. Contribution to outcomes not assessed.
No co-factors acknowledged. Program presented as sole driver of observed change.
Contribution language consistently calibrated to evidence strength. Every claim carries a qualifier matched to its evidence base. Where evidence is too weak for any claim, this is stated.
Most claims calibrated. Qualifiers used for majority. A few claims may be uniformly strong without clear basis.
Some calibration present but qualifiers inconsistent. Strong language sometimes used without strong evidence.
Contribution language uniform regardless of evidence strength, OR qualifiers absent throughout.
All contribution claims made with same level of certainty regardless of evidence base.
Reader can retrace reasoning from evidence to contribution claim. Each inferential step explicit. Sources cited for each input. Logical leaps flagged and justified.
Most reasoning verifiable. Sources cited for most inputs. One or two leaps implicit but chain largely visible.
Some steps visible but others require the reader to fill in. Sources cited inconsistently.
Reasoning presented as conclusions without showing the chain. Sources mostly absent or generic.
No traceability. Contribution claims appear without any visible reasoning or sources.
Score Interpretation
| Total (out of 25) | Band | Next Step |
|---|---|---|
| 22-25 | Strong | Contribution claims are defensible and appropriately bounded. Section is ready. |
| 17-21 | Adequate | Address flagged dimensions. Most common gaps: calibration qualifiers and counterfactual grounding. |
| 11-16 | Needs Revision | Contribution language overreaches the evidence. Rebuild the chain with explicit co-factor assessment. |
| 5-10 | Substantial Revision | Section reads as attribution claims, not contribution analysis. Restart from the integrated story. |