The Practicalities of Running Randomized Control Trials

Undergraduate / Graduate

This course is designed for those who plan to run a randomized control trial. It provides practical advice about the trade-offs researchers face when selecting topics to study, the type of randomization technique to use, the content of a survey instruments, analytical techniques and much more. How do you choose the right minimum detectable effect size for estimating the sample size needed to run a high quality RCT? How do you quantify difficult to measure outcomes such as women's empowerment or ensure people are providing truthful answers when you are asking questions on sensitive topics like sexual health? When should you tie your hands by pre-committing to your analysis plan in advance, and when is a pre-analysis plan not a good idea? This course will draw on lots of examples from RCTs around the world, most (though not all) from a development context. Alongside field tips, it will also cover the concepts and theory behind the tradeoffs researchers face running RCTs. The course is designed for PhD students but given its practical nature is open to and accessible to masters students who plan to work on RCTs.