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On Minimizing the Risk of Bias in Randomized Controlled Trials in Economics

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dc.contributor.authorEble, Alex
dc.contributor.authorBoone, Peter
dc.contributor.authorElbourne, Diana
dc.date.accessioned2016-08-09T16:44:50Z
dc.date.available2016-08-09T16:44:50Z
dc.date.issued2016-07
dc.description.abstractEstimation of empirical relationships is prone to bias. Economists have carefully studied sources of bias in structural and quasi-experimental approaches, but the randomized control trial (RCT) has only begun to receive such scrutiny. This paper argues that several lessons from medicine, derived from analysis of thousands of RCTs establishing a clear link between certain practices and biased estimates, can be used to reduce the risk of bias in economics RCTs. It identifies the subset of these lessons applicable to economics and uses them to assess risk of bias in estimates from economics RCTs published between 2001 and 2011. In comparison to medical studies, most economics studies examined do not report important details on study design necessary to assess risk of bias. Many report practices that suggest risk of bias, though this does not necessarily mean bias resulted. The paper concludes with suggestions on how to remedy these issues.en
dc.identifierhttp://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2016/07/26579028/minimizing-risk-bias-randomized-controlled-trials-economics
dc.identifier.doi10.1596/1813-9450-7746
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10986/24828
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoen_US
dc.publisherWorld Bank, Washington, DC
dc.relation.ispartofseriesPolicy Research Working Paper;No. 7746
dc.rightsCC BY 3.0 IGO
dc.rights.holderWorld Bank
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo/
dc.subjectrandomization
dc.subjectrandomized control trials
dc.subjectstudy design
dc.subjectestimation bias
dc.titleOn Minimizing the Risk of Bias in Randomized Controlled Trials in Economicsen
dc.typeWorking Paperen
dc.typeDocument de travailfr
dc.typeDocumento de trabajoes
dspace.entity.typePublication
okr.associatedcontenthttps://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/31473 Journal article
okr.crossref.titleOn Minimizing the Risk of Bias in Randomized Controlled Trials in Economics
okr.date.disclosure2016-07-18
okr.doctypePublications & Research
okr.doctypePublications & Research::Policy Research Working Paper
okr.docurlhttp://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2016/07/26579028/minimizing-risk-bias-randomized-controlled-trials-economics
okr.guid230271468862629679
okr.identifier.doi10.1596/1813-9450-7746
okr.identifier.externaldocumentum090224b084467c16_1_0
okr.identifier.internaldocumentum26579028
okr.identifier.reportWPS7746
okr.importedtrue
okr.language.supporteden
okr.pdfurlhttp://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2016/07/18/090224b084467c16/1_0/Rendered/PDF/On0minimizing000trials0in0economics.pdfen
okr.topicMacroeconomics and Economic Growth::Economic Theory & Research
okr.unitOperations and Strategy Team, Development Economics Vice Presidency
relation.isSeriesOfPublication26e071dc-b0bf-409c-b982-df2970295c87
relation.isSeriesOfPublication.latestForDiscovery26e071dc-b0bf-409c-b982-df2970295c87
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