PUB PLC 272

Main Course

Tools for Causal Inference

Description

Seminar, three hours. Students strengthen critical analysis of empirical evidence. Review of purpose and objectives of impact evaluation. Evaluation of common but often problematic approaches: cross-sectional and before-after comparisons, and case studies of program beneficiaries. Examination of suite of experimental and quasi-experimental approaches: randomized controlled trials, matching, regression discontinuities, and difference-in-differences. Letter grading.