Field Experiments

Field Experiments in Economics

This book adopts an integrated history and philosophy of science approach to consider the historical origins and methodological pitfalls of field experiments in economics. It explains key concepts such as control and randomization and identifies two distinct origins of field experimentation in economics: controlled laboratory experiments and randomized field trials. Careful historical analysis reveals that two strands of field experiments have developed, with rather different methodological rationales regarding the validity, both internal and external, of inferences about experimental results. The authors propose a unified methodological framework that makes explicit the complementarity between the two strands of field experiments, as well as between experimentation and other research methods such as econometrics. In addition, the methodological framework aims not only to bridge both strands but also to make explicit often-assumed ethical and political values in experimental design and practice in the field. This book will be valuable reading for advanced students and scholars in the history of economics, philosophy of economics, economic methodology, and experimental economics. The Open Access version of this book, available at www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC-BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license.

Field Experiments in Political Science and Public Policy

Field experiments -- randomized controlled trials -- have become ever more popular in political science, as well as in other disciplines, such as economics, social policy and development. Policy-makers have also increasingly used randomization to evaluate public policies, designing trials of tax reminders, welfare policies and international aid programs to name just a few of the interventions tested in this way. Field experiments have become successful because they assess causal claims in ways that other methods of evaluation find hard to emulate. Social scientists and evaluators have rediscovered how to design and analyze field experiments, but they have paid much less attention to the challenges of organizing and managing them. Field experiments pose unique challenges and opportunities for the researcher and evaluator which come from working in the field. The research experience can be challenging and at times hard to predict. This book aims to help researchers and evaluators plan and manage their field experiments so they can avoid common pitfalls. It is also intended to open up discussion about the context and backdrop to trials so that these practical aspects of field experiments are better understood. The book sets out ten steps researchers can use to plan their field experiments, then nine threats to watch out for when they implement them. There are cases studies of voting and political participation, elites, welfare and employment, nudging citizens, and developing countries.

Field Experiments with Corn, 1888