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Evaluating anti-poverty programs

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Author Info
Ravallion, Martin

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Abstract

The author critically reviews the methods available for the ex-post counterfactual analysis of programs that are assigned exclusively to individuals, households, or locations. The discussion covers both experimental and non-experimental methods (including propensity-score matching, discontinuity designs, double and triple differences, and instrumental variables). Two main lessons emerge. First, despite the claims of advocates, no single method dominates; rigorous, policy-relevant evaluations should be open-minded about methodology. Second, future efforts to draw more useful lessons from evaluations will call for more policy-relevant measures and deeper explanations of measured impacts than are possible from the classic ("black box") assessment of mean impact.

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Paper provided by The World Bank in its series Policy Research Working Paper Series with number 3625.

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Date of creation: 01 Jun 2005
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Handle: RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:3625

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Related research
Keywords: Poverty Monitoring&Analysis; Rural Poverty Reduction; Scientific Research&Science Parks; Science Education; Poverty Impact Evaluation;

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Full references

Cited by:
(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

  1. Leonardo Gasparini & Francisco Haimovich & Sergio Olivieri, 2007. "Labor Informality Effects of a Poverty-Alleviation Program," Working Papers 0053, CEDLAS, Universidad Nacional de La Plata. [Downloadable!]
  2. Chaudhury, Nazmul & Parajuli, Dilip, 2006. "Conditional cash transfers and female schooling : the impact of the female school stipend program on public school enrollments in Punjab, Pakistan," Policy Research Working Paper Series 4102, The World Bank. [Downloadable!]
  3. Hong Wang & Winnie Yip & Licheng Zhang & William C. Hsiao, 2009. "The impact of rural mutual health care on health status: evaluation of a social experiment in rural China," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 18(S2), pages S65-S82. [Downloadable!]
  4. Wagstaff, Adam, 2008. "Fungibility and the Impact of Development Assistance: Evidence from Vietnam's Health Sector," Policy Research Working Paper Series 4800, The World Bank. [Downloadable!]
  5. Sanyal, Prabuddha & Babu, Suresh, 2008. "Aid effectiveness and capacity development: Implications for economic growth in developing countries," IFPRI discussion papers 838, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). [Downloadable!]
  6. Marcelo Delajara & Samuel Freije & Isidro Soloaga, 2006. "An Evaluation of Training for the Unemployed in Mexico," OVE Working Papers 0906, Inter-American Development Bank, Office of Evaluation and Oversight (OVE). [Downloadable!]
  7. Holden, Stein T. & Deininger, Klaus & Ghebru, Hosaena, 2007. "Impact of Land Certification on Land Rental Market Participation in Tigray Region, Northern Ethiopia," MPRA Paper 5211, University Library of Munich, Germany. [Downloadable!]
  8. Quisumbing, Agnes R. & Pandolfelli, Lauren, 2009. "Promising approaches to address the needs of poor female farmers: Resources, constraints, and interventions," IFPRI discussion papers 882, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). [Downloadable!]
  9. Christoph Schmidt, 2007. "Policy evaluation and economic policy advice," AStA Advances in Statistical Analysis, Springer, vol. 91(4), pages 379-389, December. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  10. Essama-Nssah, B., 2006. "Propensity score matching and policy impact analysis - a demonstration in EViews," Policy Research Working Paper Series 3877, The World Bank. [Downloadable!]
  11. Jörg Peters, 2009. "In recent years, the international community has expanded efforts in programme evaluation to improve the accountability of development projects. This paper presents approaches to implementing state-of," Ruhr Economic Papers 0136, Rheinisch-Westfälisches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universität Dortmund, Universität Duisburg-Essen. [Downloadable!]
  12. Birner, Regina & Davis, Kristin & Pender, John & Nkonya, Ephraim & Anandajayasekeram, Ponniah & Ekboir, Javier & Mbabu, Adiel & Spielman, David & Horna, Daniela & Benin, Samuel & Cohen, Marc J., 2006. "From "best practice" to "best fit": a framework for designing and analyzing pluralistic agricultural advisory services worldwide," FCND discussion papers 210, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  13. Wagstaff, Adam & Lindelow, Magnus & Gao Jun & Xu Ling & Qian Juncheng, 2007. "Extending health insurance to the rural population : an impact evaluation of China's new cooperative medical scheme," Policy Research Working Paper Series 4150, The World Bank. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  14. Wagstaff, Adam, 2007. "Health insurance for the poor : initial impacts of Vietnam's health care fund for the poor," Policy Research Working Paper Series 4134, The World Bank. [Downloadable!]
  15. Martina Björkman, 2007. "Does Money Matter for Student Performance? Evidence from a Grant Program in Uganda," Working Papers 326, IGIER (Innocenzo Gasparini Institute for Economic Research), Bocconi University. [Downloadable!]
  16. John A. Maluccio, 2007. "The Impact of Conditional Cash Transfers on Consumption and Investment in Nicaragua," Middlebury College Working Paper Series 0722, Middlebury College, Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
  17. Wagstaff, Adam & Yu, Shengchao, 2005. "Do health sector reforms have their intended impacts ? The World Bank's Health VIII project in Gansu province, China," Policy Research Working Paper Series 3743, The World Bank. [Downloadable!]
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  18. Dammert, Ana C., 2008. "Heterogeneous Impacts of Conditional Cash Transfers: Evidence from Nicaragua," IZA Discussion Papers 3653, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
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  19. van de Walle, Dominique & Ren Mu, 2007. "Fungibility and the flypaper effect of project aid : micro-evidence for Vietnam," Policy Research Working Paper Series 4133, The World Bank. [Downloadable!]
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  20. Larru, Jose Maria, 2007. "La evaluación de impacto: qué es, cómo se mide y qué está aportando en la cooperación al desarrollo
    [Impact Assessment and Evaluation: What it is it, how can it be measured and what it is add    ," MPRA Paper 6928, University Library of Munich, Germany. [Downloadable!]
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