What to read after Can randomised controlled trials end poverty??

Essay from the year 2020 in the subject Economics - Macro-economics, general, grade: 67.0, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, language: English, abstract: This essay provides an overview of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and their meteoric rise. Then the author discusses key limitations to the use of RCTs, from a theoretical and methodological lens and provides a country-study example. In recent times, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) as a method of impact evaluation of the effectiveness of development interventions have sparked enthusiasm and optimism among a wide range of stakeholders. Evidence from randomized evaluations is increasingly being used to understand and address poverty-related problems. To that extent, advocates of RCTs labeled the "randomistas" as proffer RCTs the "gold standard" for developing effective poverty reduction policies. Gold standard, in this sense, being the best and most accurate method (without restriction) to designing development interventions and assessing what works and what does not.