Policy evaluation involves the development of evaluation questions, the research designs, and the data analysis to answer the questions. Students will learn the assessment of the needs and concerns of stakeholders, the knowledge of analytical tools, including randomized-controlled trials (RCTs), and the ability to formulate evidence-based recommendations. We begin by examining the advantages and disadvantages of using observational studies to identify the determinants of outcomes in which policy makers are often interested. We then consider quasi-experiments and learn about their advantages and disadvantages. Finally, we focus on how to use RCTs in the field to obtain accurate measures of policy effectiveness. We will cover a significant amount of literature on education, health, agricultural, and finance-related interventions. You will also complete a research project that will give you the opportunity to develop the skills necessary to successfully design, conduct, and analyze the results of RCTs aimed at answering important policy questions.
Basic knowledge of the common methods (qualitative and quantitative) that are typically used for evaluating development-related policy and interventions. (DEV 540, or equivalent, such as a basic Statistics course or another similar course).