ence ▁in ▁evaluation ▁can ▁be ▁broad ly ▁defined ▁as ▁a ▁system ic , ▁response ▁inqu iry ▁that ▁is ▁act ively ▁cogn iz ant , ▁understanding , ▁and ▁appreci ative ▁of ▁the ▁cultural ▁context ▁in ▁which ▁the ▁evaluation ▁takes ▁place ; ▁that ▁frames ▁and ▁art icul ates ▁ep ist em ology ▁of ▁the ▁evaluation ▁ende avor ; ▁that ▁emp lo ys ▁cult ur ally ▁and ▁context ually ▁appropriate ▁method ology ; ▁and ▁that ▁uses ▁st ake holder - generated , ▁interpret ive ▁means ▁to ▁arrive ▁at ▁the ▁results ▁and ▁further ▁use ▁of ▁the ▁find ings . ▁▁ ▁Many ▁health ▁and ▁evaluation ▁leaders ▁are ▁careful ▁to ▁point ▁out ▁that ▁cultural ▁compet ence ▁cannot ▁be ▁determined ▁by ▁a ▁simple ▁check list , ▁but ▁rather ▁it ▁is ▁an ▁attribute ▁that ▁develop s ▁over ▁time . ▁ ▁The ▁root ▁of ▁cultural ▁compet ency ▁in ▁evaluation ▁is ▁a ▁genu ine ▁respect ▁for ▁communities ▁being ▁studied ▁and ▁open ness ▁to ▁seek ▁depth ▁in ▁understanding ▁different ▁cultural ▁context s , ▁practices ▁and ▁parad ig ms ▁of ▁thinking . ▁ ▁This ▁includes ▁being ▁cre ative ▁and ▁flexible ▁to ▁capture ▁different ▁cultural ▁context s , ▁and ▁height ened ▁aw aren ess ▁of ▁power ▁differential s ▁that ▁exist ▁in ▁an ▁evaluation ▁context . ▁ ▁Import ant ▁skills ▁include : ▁ability ▁to ▁build ▁rapport ▁across ▁difference , ▁gain ▁the ▁trust ▁of ▁the ▁community ▁members , ▁and ▁self - reflect ▁and ▁recognize ▁one ' s ▁own ▁bi ases . ▁ ▁Parad ig ms ▁The ▁parad ig ms ▁ax i ology , ▁ont ology , ▁ep ist