This document provides guidance for examining evaluation instruments that assess cooking systems. The goal is to ensure that a cooking system evaluation instrument achieves its objectives and is fit for a particular purpose. Doing so means recognizing that the stove is one part of a series of complex and interacting systems, many of which are variable.

The document includes procedures to ensure that:

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an evaluation instrument captures the necessary input measures at an appropriate level of detail and quality;

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outputs from the evaluation instrument are accurate, repeatable, reproducible, and appropriate for assessing the stated outcome.

The document also provides guidance to interpret the outputs of an evaluation instrument when reporting. The document does not specify test methods nor recommend pre-determined procedures or benchmarks of performance (also known as tiers).