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IZA Discussion Paper No. 18018
July 2025
Using RCTs in Economic Education Research

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have become an essential tool for economists. The credibility revolution in empirical economics emphasizes research designs that identify casual effects, and random assignment of treatment is seen as the gold standard. Implementation can, however, be a challenge in many applications. The field of economic education is in a unique position to learn from RCTs, given the ability to test interventions in the classroom or at educational institutions. We discuss what is needed to run an RCT effectively in an educational setting, drawing from the experimental literature on topics such as student success in higher education and diversity in undergraduate economics. We additionally outline quasi-experimental approaches that can be used when treatment cannot be randomized.

Communications
Mark Fallak
mark.fallak@liser.lu
+352 585-855-526
World of Labour
Olga Nottmeyer
olga.nottmeyer@liser.lu
+352 585-855-501
Network Coordination
Christina Gathmann
christina.gathmann@liser.lu

The IZA@LISER Network is a global community of scholars dedicated to excellence in labor economics and related fields, now coordinated at the Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER) following its transition from Bonn.

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