Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) video guide

2014

Guide

Resource link

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs)

Contributing partner:

UNICEF Office of Research – Innocenti

International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie)

This video guide, produced by UNICEF, summarises the key features of RCTs with a particular emphasis on their use in impact evaluation.

It looks at how RCTs test the extent to which specific, planned impacts are being achieved, the random assignment of units (e.g. people, schools, villages, etc.) to the intervention or control group and demonstrates how they provide a powerful response to questions of causality and help evaluators and programme implementers know that what is being achieved is as a result of the intervention and not anything else.

Sources

UNICEF. (2014). Randomized Control Trials (RCTs). Retrieved from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wy7qpJeozec

Resources

UNICEF webinar: Randomized controlled trials
What are the key features of an RCT? Are RCTs really the gold standard? What ethical and practical issues do I need to consider before deciding to do an RCT?

This is part of a series

This series presents overviews of impact evaluation and its key strategies and methods. Methodological briefs and webinars cover the essential building blocks of impact evaluation and evaluation designs, and specific data collection and analysis methods.