II.C.i: Experimental Design
Use random assignment to compare results between the two groups to establish the effect of the program. Other Information:
Experimental designs use random assignment; researchers randomly assign one group of people to be program participants and
another group to be non-participants, and compare results between the two groups to establish the effect of the program. Experimental
designs are often commonly referred to as randomized controlled trials, or RCTs, and when done correctly are often thought
of as the most rigorous research design. For example, researchers may be interested in finding out whether participating in
a microfinance program leads to higher savings on average. After obtaining a list of people who wish to participate in the
program, they would randomly assign half of the people to the program group and the other half to the control group, who would
not receive the program. The only difference between the control group and program group is access to the program. This means
that researchers would be able to confidently conclude that it is the program which causes higher savings for the program
group rather than some other characteristic or phenomenon.
Indicator(s):
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