Our library of practical resources is intended for researchers and research staff undertaking randomized evaluations, as well as those teaching the technique to others, and anyone interested in how randomized evaluations are conducted.
Incorporating lessons learned through our own experience and through guidance from researchers and research organizations, we provide practical advice for designing, implementing, and communicating about evaluations. These resources are a collaborative effort. We credit the authors of all the resources we post here, and link to their original work wherever possible.
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Pre-analysis plans
A pre-analysis plan (PAP) describes how researchers plan to analyze the data from a randomized evaluation. It is distinct from the concept of pre-registration, which in economics is the act of...
Power calculations
This section is intended to provide an intuitive discussion of the rationale behind power calculations, as well as practical tips and sample code for conducting power calculations using either built...
Introduction to measurement and indicators
The goal of measurement is to get reliable data with which to answer research questions and assess theories of change. Inaccurate measurement can lead to unreliable data, from which it is difficult to...
Survey design
This section covers the essentials of survey design. It includes an overview of survey development, practical tips, formatting suggestions, and guides to translation and quality control.
Survey logistics
Managing a survey is a massive logistical undertaking. This resource, and the other resources under survey data collection, describes the decisions to make and processes to set up in advance to...
Grant and budget management
This resource covers practical advice on managing grants for principal investigators (PIs) and research staff. We include overarching tips to help ensure smooth grant management throughout the project...
Surveyor hiring and training
This resource focuses on in-house data collection. Information about outsourcing to survey firms is available in the resource on working with third party firms.
Running a large-scale household...
Field team management
This section discusses the logistics of managing surveyors and survey teams. Depending on the field team size, you may need to set up processes to manage upwards of 50 field staff. Thinking ahead...