S)

Full list of author information is available at the end of the articleinstitutional, and societal levels [2]. Hence, evaluation frameworks can also be very heterogeneous [3]. We understand evaluation frameworks to be docu-ments providing a structure or guidance for those in-volved in health RCS (e.g., funders, the implementers evaluation methods to use for particular purposes and circumstances [5]. Frameworks also have the potential to facilitate sharing and learning [6] within and between the organisations involved, by clearly communicating key aspects of the approach to evaluation. Such clarity can also reduce administrative burdens by informing the rationalisation of data collected from health RCS * Correspondence: alan.boyd@mbs.ac.uk1Manchester Business School, University of Manchester, Booth Street West,complex and context-sensitive process, requiring a com-coverage of important evaluation issues. A secondary objective was to explore what use had been made of the ESSENCE framework, which attempts to address one such issue: harmonising the evaluation requirements of different funders. Methods: We identified and analysed health RCS evaluation frameworks published by seven funding agencie