Field experiments in economics allow to estimate the impact of social programs or policies in the naturally occurring environment using random assignment to the treated and the control group. For instance, using this method one can understand if helping people to escape poor districts does help them to start a new life or if entrepreneurial education increases start-up rate.
The goal of this course is to explain (1) why and when field experiments (randomized control trials) are useful, and (2) how to provide field experiments.
During the lectures you will learn:
- Why one should randomize to evaluate the impact of economic (social) programs?
- When to use field experiments (randomised control trials)?
- How to randomize in the best way?
- How to choose right indicators and instruments to measure the outcomes of a program?
- How to make power analysis to determine the sample size needed for the study?
- How to limit the threats that can undermine the reliability of the study?
- How to provide statistical analysis of the data from randomised control trial?
- How to draw policy conclusions from the field experiment?
During the seminars we will discuss the results of the field experiments that study:
- Discrimination, corruption, entrepreneurship, gender and power, incentives and economic behavior, fairness, voting behavior, education.
Prerequisites: Basic Microeconomics; Basic Econometrics.
Preferred previous courses: Experimental or Behavioural Economics; Advanced Econometrics; Meta-analysis in Economics.