The number of experimental units n is often limited due to budget constraints, to capacity constraints of the implementing organization, or naturally limited by the number of villages eligible for a program or number of people or firms that apply. Here are some of my main thoughts/tips on approaches to try in order to improve statistical power.
This week's links include jobs in the new IFC research group, the large share of Pacific Island workers in NZ and Australia, advice for young researchers on having policy impact, and more.
Answers to some specific questions I received recently about doing power calculations in practice, such as how to account for stratification, what to do for non-RCTs, when to use formula vs simulations, and more.
Matched pair randomizations can help in increasing balance in experiments with small samples. But several reasons suggest the need for caution, and that matched quadruplets may be preferable in some cases.
This entry introduces six papers published from November 16 to November 30 on various topics, including COVID-19, the impact of nature on economic activity and tax compliance.