Evaluating Social Interventions Through RCTs: A Checklist Tool

Abstract

Evaluation designs using randomized assignment to assess the impact of social interventions constitute only a small portion of policy evaluations, especially in developing countries. To this end this short note provides a laundrylist style inventory of critical elements to get ”right” when considering an RCT study design to evaluate social interventions.It is hoped that using the checklist as a minimum standard in the future will make quality of findings generated through evaluations using RCT less variable,and thereby better positioned to inform policy and practice in developing countries.