Randomised Control Trials: Field Experiments in Social Science

online course

Learn about the challenges of establishing causality, delve into the complexities of randomised control trials, explore pitfalls and solutions, and apply tools to improve field experiments, gaining confidence in conducting randomised control trials.

Need to Know

Good knowledge of linear regression (OLS) is required. Basic understanding of including multiplicative interactions preferred. Some familiarity with R is essential.

In Depth - Key topics covered
Day 1
The course will begin by providing a foundational overview of the problem with establishing causality in the social world. We will look at examples of how (and how not) randomised control trials can overcome the problem of identifying causal relationships in the real world. You will be introduced to the potential outcomes framework as well as the theory and practice of estimating the average treatment effect.

Day 2
We will consider how design considerations can improve and/or bias estimations in randomised control trials. We will look at issues related to i) statistical power, ii) blocking & clustering in randomisation, iii) covariate-adjustment, and iv) randomisation inference.

Day 3
We will turn our attention to estimating treatment effect heterogeneity in RCTs. This will cover treatment-by-covariate and treatment-by-treatment interactions, as well as the difference in the causal interpretation between the two heterogeneous effect types.

Day 4
You will learn about some of the pitfalls (and unique opportunities) that emerge from executing randomised control trials. We will consider solutions to issues such as non-compliance, attrition, post-treatment bias, as well as the differences and interpretations of diverse estimands of interest (e.g. ITT, CACE). You will also learn how to estimate spillover effects. Finally, we will discuss the practical issues and problems that emerge from working with non-academic research partners and how to manage these relationships.

Day 5
The final day will be given over to discuss fellow participants’ proposed randomised control trials and how the tools learned throughout the week can be applied to improve deigns in advancing of going to the field. To that end, you will receive detailed feedback from the instructor on design proposals and we will engage in a group-based discussion of the practical issues and potential field-based pitfalls that may emerge.

Course leader

Stuart J. Turnbull-Dugarte is an Associate Professor in Quantitative Political Science at the University of Southampton (UK) and Director of PhD programmes in Politics. He has published extensively using experimental methods.

Target group

Social scientists

Course aim

Field experiments, also known as randomised control trials (RCTs) conducted outside of a controlled laboratory setting, offer several advantages over traditional laboratory experiments, particularly for social scientists. This course introduces you to the design and analysis of field experiments. You will learn about the unique utility of RCTs via discussion of both statistical theory as well as practical replications and applied research examples.

By the end of this course, you will be confident in the theory and practice of randomised control trials (RCTs) in the social sciences. This hands-on and practical course will ensure participants are able to effectively design an experimental intervention in the field and evaluate its effects, execute a randomisation strategy, carry out power calculations, and complete a comprehensive statistical analysis of RCT data. You will be equipped with a toolkit to help resolve complex design issues like block randomisation, as well as potential threats to inference that may emerge in the field such as attrition and spillover effects, among other advanced topics.

Credits info

4 EC
You can earn up to four credits for attending this course.
3 ECTS credits – Attend 100% of live sessions and engage fully with class activities.
4 ECTS credits – Attend 100% of live sessions, engage fully with class activities and complete a post-class assignment.

Fee info

GBP 492: ECPR member - check whether your institution is a member here: https://ecpr.eu/Membership/CurrentMembers
GBP 985: ECPR non-member

Scholarships

Funding applications for the 2024 ECPR Methods School summer programme are now opening for applications. Apply before mid-April 2024. For more details on funding opportunities for ECPR's other events, please visit https://ecpr.eu/Funding/Funding