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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Introduction to Randomized Evaluations
Resources
A non-technical overview and step-by-step introduction for those who are new to randomized evaluations, as well as case studies and other teaching resources.
Before Starting a Project
Resources
Tips on successful field management and implementation partnerships for researchers who are new to fieldwork.
Project Planning
Resources
Highlights include: annotated checklist for designing an informed consent process, detailed advice on grant proposals and budgeting, and suggestions for proactive measures to help ensure ethical principles are followed in research design and implementation.
Research Design
Resources
Data Collection and Access
Resources
This section contains guidance specific to working with surveyors or survey companies, information about administrative data collection, and information applicable to all modes of data collection, such as on data security, data quality, and grant management.
Processing and Analysis
Resources
All the steps in a research project after the data was collected or assembled, from data cleaning to communicating results.
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.
Data quality checks
High-frequency checks, back-checks, and spot-checks can be used to detect programming errors, surveyor errors, data fabrication, poorly understood questions, and other issues. The results of these...
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...
Resources for researchers new to randomized evaluations
This resource is a brief introduction to conducting field research that distills many years of implementation experience. It is geared towards new PIs (Principal Investigators), such as graduate...
Trial registration
This resource provides guidance for researchers wishing to register their study in a public trial registry. We list common social science registries and registration policies of common funders and...
Pre-analysis plans
Pre-analysis plans (PAPs) describe 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...
Randomization
Randomization for causal inference has a storied history. Controlled randomized experiments were invented by Charles Sanders Peirce and Joseph Jastrow in 1884. Jerzy Neyman introduced stratified...
Questionnaire piloting
Piloting is the testing, refining, and re-testing of survey instruments in the field to make them ready for your full survey. It is a vital step to ensure that you understand how your survey works...