Field Experiments in Political Science and Public Policy: Practical Lessons in Design and Delivery

by Peter John

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.

224 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 6, 2017

Reviews

[Gerardo Alonso · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very good practical book. I personally enjoyed better the first part of the book, where the foundations are laid down and the steps for field experiments are explained. For me, the most valuable part of the book was the nine main issues that can happen in field experiments.

When it goes to the second part of the book with the examples of how field experiments can be done in different areas, I thought that, while helpful, it became a bit generic with the risk of not being practical anymore.