The eighties were rich in writings, which made distinctions between research, evaluative research and program evaluation. There was then a consensus, which is now called in question for various considerations. The present article aims to establish distinctions between program evaluation and evaluative research and thus to contribute to the development of a theoretical, methodological and empirical corpus harmonized which is necessary so that the evaluation of program develops like a scientific discipline (Dubois & Marceau, 2005). If these activities have several similarities – their reference to a theory of the program, the paradigms and methodologies – which moreover contribute to maintain confusions, their specific aims still offer the best perspective to understand in what manner they differ.