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Assessing external validity

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  • Bo, Hao
  • Galiani, Sebastian

Abstract

In designing any causal study, steps must be taken to address both internal and external threats to its validity. Researchers tend to focus primarily on dealing with threats to internal validity. However, once they have conducted an internally valid analysis, that analysis yields an established set of findings for the specific case in question. As for the future usefulness of that result, however, what matters is its degree of external validity. In this paper we provide a formal, general exploration of the question of external validity and propose a simple and generally applicable method for evaluating the external validity of randomized controlled trials. Although our method applies only to RCTs, the issue of external validity is general and not restricted to RCTs, as shown in our formal analysis.

Suggested Citation

  • Bo, Hao & Galiani, Sebastian, 2021. "Assessing external validity," Research in Economics, Elsevier, vol. 75(3), pages 274-285.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:reecon:v:75:y:2021:i:3:p:274-285
    DOI: 10.1016/j.rie.2021.06.005
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    11. Rachael Meager, 2019. "Understanding the Average Impact of Microcredit Expansions: A Bayesian Hierarchical Analysis of Seven Randomized Experiments," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 11(1), pages 57-91, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Azzam, Tarek & Bates, Michael D. & Fairris, David, 2022. "Do learning communities increase first year college retention? Evidence from a randomized control trial," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    2. Matthias Thiemann, 2021. "La relation asymétrique des banques centrales au financement de marché : une évaluation des implications pour la stabilité financière à la lumière des évènements lés à la Covid," Post-Print hal-03622943, HAL.
    3. Bando, Rosangela & Galiani, Sebastian & Gertler, Paul, 2022. "Another brick on the wall: On the effects of non-contributory pensions on material and subjective well being," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 195(C), pages 16-26.
    4. Annie Duflo & Jessica Kiessel & Adrienne Lucas, 2020. "Experimental Evidence on Alternative Policies to Increase Learning at Scale," NBER Working Papers 27298, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    5. Antoine Deeb & Cl'ement de Chaisemartin, 2019. "Clustering and External Validity in Randomized Controlled Trials," Papers 1912.01052, arXiv.org, revised Dec 2022.
    6. Matthias Thiemann, 2021. "La relation asymétrique des banques centrales au financement de marché : une évaluation des implications pour la stabilité financière à la lumière des évènements lés à la Covid," SciencePo Working papers Main hal-03622943, HAL.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Internal validity; External validity; Randomized controlled trials;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C18 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Methodolical Issues: General
    • C52 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric Modeling - - - Model Evaluation, Validation, and Selection
    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments

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