IZA/DFID Short Course on Program Evaluation

December 8, 2018
December 9, 2018
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Organizers: David Lam (University of Michigan and IZA), Ahmed Elsayed (IZA)
Location: Hilton, Menelik II Ave, Addis Ababa 1164, Ethiopia
Date: December 08, 2018 – December 09, 2018
Event Manager: Dominik Spitza (IZA)

 

Teaching Staff: Marco Caliendo (University of Potsdam and IZA)
Stefano Caria (University of Bristol)
Joan Hicks (University of Oklahoma)

Program
Saturday, December 08:

08:00 – 09:00 Registration and Distribution of Learning Materials

Teaching Materials
Stata Licenses, Installation
09:00 – 09:15 Welcome and Introduction
David Lam (University of Michigan and IZA), Marco Caliendo (University of Potsdam and IZA)
Section A: IMPACT EVALUATION
09:15 – 10:30 Joan Hicks (University of Oklahoma), Stefano Caria (University of Bristol)

  • What is Evaluation? Why Evaluate?
  • What Questions Do You Want to Answer?
  • Different Questions and Research Strategies and Specific Methods for Evaluating Impact / Potential Outcome Framework
  • Include Practical (own) Examples
10:30 – 11:00 Coffee Break
Section B: EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN/RCT
11:00 – 12:30 Stefano Caria (University of Bristol)
“B1 How to Design an Experiment”

  • Methods of Randomization
  • Linking Experimental Design and Theory
  • Determining Sample Size Using Parametric and Non-parametric Power Calculations
12:30 – 13:30 Lunch
13:30 – 15:00 Stefano Caria (University of Bristol)
“B2 Analyzing Data from an Experiment”

  • Average Effects
  • Heterogeneity of Treatment Effects
  • CACE (Complier Average Causal Effect)
  • LATE (Local Average Treatment Effect)
15:00 – 15:30 Coffee Break
15:30 – 17:00 Joan Hicks (University of Oklahoma)
“B3 How to Implement an Experiment”

  • Finding Funding
  • Working with Partner Organizations
  • Data Collection (Including Innovative Methods of Data Collection)
  • Pitfalls to Avoid
19:00 Dinner

Sunday, December 09:

08:30 – 10:00 Joan Hicks (University of Oklahoma)
“B4 What Lessons to Draw from an Experiment”

  • Cost-benefit Analysis
  • Scale-up and General Equilibrium Effects
  • External Validity and the Importance of Context
  • Meta-analysis
10:00 – 10:30 Coffee Break
Section C: NON-/QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL DESIGNS
10:30 – 12:00 Marco Caliendo (University of Potsdam and IZA)
“C1 Propensity Score Matching”

  • What is (Propensity Score) Matching?
  • Choosing a Matching Algorithm
  • Assessing the Matching Quality
  • Effect Estimation
12:00 – 13:00 Lunch
13:00 – 14:30 Marco Caliendo (University of Potsdam and IZA)
“C2 Difference-in-Differences”

  • Motivation and Intuition
  • Graphical Illustration and Formalization
  • Did with Regressions
  • Practical Advice and Sensitivity Analysis
14:30 – 15:00 Coffee Break
Section D: PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS AND ACADEMIC ADVICE
15:00 – 15:45 Girum Abebe (Ethiopian Development Research Institute)
“Practical Advice for Young Researchers in Developing Countries”
15:45 – 17:00 Marco Caliendo (University of Potsdam and IZA), Stefano Caria (University of Bristol), Joan Hicks (University of Oklahoma),
David Lam (University of Michigan and IZA), Ahmed Elsayed (IZA), Girum Abebe (Ethiopian Development Research Institute)

  • Hands on Project Work (tbd)
  • Break Out into Groups (tbd)
  • Advice on How to Publish