Randomized Control Trials in the Field of Development: A Critical Perspective

Abstract

What is the exact scope of randomized control trials (RCTs)? Which sorts of questions are RCTs able to address and which do they fail to answer? This book provides answers to these questions, explaining how RCTs work, what they can achieve, why they sometimes fail, how they can be improved and why other methods are both useful and necessary. The volume explores neglected aspects of the use of randomized control trials, including practical, political, and ethical issues, with contributions from specialists with a range of backgrounds and disciplines.