Lots of great points here, and I agree with much of what you say!
Just to clarify, I didn’t mean to focus solely on RCTs, and tried throughout to use broader terms like R&D, or “other forms of evaluation,” or “difference-in-differences,” so as to encompass other research methods that might be more suitable for everything from 1) trying to develop a new program, to 2) evaluating country-wide policies that could never be subjected to an RCT.
Lots of great points here, and I agree with much of what you say!
Just to clarify, I didn’t mean to focus solely on RCTs, and tried throughout to use broader terms like R&D, or “other forms of evaluation,” or “difference-in-differences,” so as to encompass other research methods that might be more suitable for everything from 1) trying to develop a new program, to 2) evaluating country-wide policies that could never be subjected to an RCT.