Much has been written on the styles, strategies and tactics associated with educational research and evaluation, but relatively little on the social processes associated with the methodology. Few books consider the relationship of research and evaluation to policy and practice and this book opens up key debates in that field. It identifies, through contributions from the USA and Britain, some of the major processes involved, examines the problems of conducting research and evaluation and the ways in which they can be overcome, and details case studies in which problems and processes are encountered. Probably of worldwide interest to students, researchers, academics, policy makers and practitioners, the authors present an examination of a range of different dimensions associated with educational research and evaluation conducted for policy and practice.