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Publication details for Professor Nancy Cartwright

Deaton, A. & Cartwright, N. (2016). The limitations of randomised controlled trials. VOX, CEPR Policy Portal.

• Publication type: Other (Digital/Visual Media)
• Further publication details on publisher web site
• Durham Research Online (DRO) - may include full text

Author(s) from Durham

• Professor Nancy Cartwright

Abstract

In recent years, the use of randomised controlled trials has spread from labour market and welfare programme evaluation to other areas of economics, and to other social sciences, perhaps most prominently in development and health economics. This column argues that some of the popularity of such trials rests on misunderstandings about what they are capable of accomplishing, and cautions against simple extrapolations from trials to other contexts.