How can we evaluate whether a new policy, program, or service changes individuals’ behavior and makes a difference in their lives? How can we measure its social, economic, etc. impact? This course introduces the fundamentals of field experimental methods for social scientists. We will cover all important ingredients to design, conduct, and learn from randomized controlled field experiments.
Learning objective
The main objective of the course is to empower students to run their own experiments in the field.
After the course students will 1. be able to identify opportunities to run experiments, assess their feasibility, and learn which questions need to be sorted out with field partners right at the beginning 2. understand different experimental designs and their strengths and weaknesses 3. understand the ethical challenges inherent to field experiments and whether and how they can be addressed 4. know how to combine register data and surveys to measure outcomes 5. know how to prevent or handle key implementation issues, such as non-compliance, spillovers between treatment and control group, attrition or non-response
Content
This course is designed for PhD students in social sciences (such as economics, political science, psychology, etc.) or other fields working with human subjects who would like to run their own experiments in the field. A background in basic econometrics and probability theory is required, knowledge in causal inference is helpful.
In contrast to working with observational data and quasi-experimental methods, running field experiments allows researchers to have larger control over the data generating process. This requires, however, to think about ways to address the most important challenges before the experiment is conducted. Knowing these key aspects of designing field experiments, measuring outcomes and collecting data, and potential implementation issues that could arise, will allow students to assess quickly whether an experiment is feasible or not and how challenges to the validity of the experiment can be addressed in collaboration with field partners.
In the course we will cover all important aspects to successfully design and conduct randomized controlled experiments (or randomized controlled trials, RCTs) in the field. The first part of the course focuses on the set up of field experiments: different designs and sample size, ethics considerations, transparency and open science best practices, survey design and organizing data collection. The second part covers implementation issues: one-sided and two-sided non-compliance, attrition or non-response, and spillovers between treatment and control group.
The course grade is based on a written research proposal of an original idea for a field experiment.
Competencies
Subject-specific Competencies
Concepts and Theories
assessed
Techniques and Technologies
assessed
Method-specific Competencies
Analytical Competencies
assessed
Decision-making
assessed
Problem-solving
assessed
Project Management
fostered
Social Competencies
Communication
assessed
Cooperation and Teamwork
fostered
Negotiation
fostered
Personal Competencies
Adaptability and Flexibility
fostered
Creative Thinking
fostered
Critical Thinking
fostered
Integrity and Work Ethics
fostered
Self-direction and Self-management
fostered
Performance assessment
Performance assessment information (valid until the course unit is held again)
Performance assessment as a semester course