It is very difficult, expensive, and time consuming to unbundle the basket of causes that the average RCT is actually checking and test each one separately to see if it is truly critical. Two things that can help: 1. more money for RCT’s so the most important ones can be investigated with follow ups, 2. Better RCT design via sharing of expertise among the developmental econ field and drawing in methodology expertise from outside the field.
It is very difficult, expensive, and time consuming to unbundle the basket of causes that the average RCT is actually checking and test each one separately to see if it is truly critical. Two things that can help: 1. more money for RCT’s so the most important ones can be investigated with follow ups, 2. Better RCT design via sharing of expertise among the developmental econ field and drawing in methodology expertise from outside the field.