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Designing Small Evaluation Studies
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Designing Small Evaluation Studies



June 2025 | SAGE Publications, Inc

"The book will be an important addition to instruction in designs for causal inference in the field of education. It is long overdue." - Thomas J. Lipscomb, The University of Southern Mississippi

This text describes how to design and analyze small efficacy or evaluation studies, typically carried out as part of the development of programs or interventions in areas such as education. The problem facing many researchers is how to design a study that is as small as possible, yet big enough to yield relatively unambiguous evidence about an intervention’s average effect. This text begins with an overview of validity, causal inference, statistics, effect sizes, and measurement. The authors then focus on designs for small, randomized trials, followed by a section on non-randomized causal designs: here they focus on three designs most useful for small studies including the non-equivalent control group, difference-in-difference, and interrupted time series designs. The final section summarizes the book, compares designs, discusses approaches to choosing a design, and provides guidance on reporting. Five case examples are used throughout the book to illustrate the material and there is a glossary of terms and concepts.

 
Preface
 
About the Author
 
Chapter 1: Introduction
A. What Is an Intervention?

 
B. Examples

 
 
Section I: Background Concepts
 
Chapter 2: Introduction to Section I: Is a Small Efficacy Study Right for You?
A. What Is the Logic of An Efficacy Study?

 
B. How Can This Test Be Operationalized?

 
C. What About Small Efficacy Studies?

 
D. What Questions Can’t a Small Efficacy Study Answer Well?

 
E. What Are Other Options?

 
F. Moving Forward

 
 
Chapter 3: Research Design
A. Logic of Inquiry

 
B. Principles of Research Design

 
C. Types of Quantitative Research Designs

 
Questions to Test Your Knowledge

 
 
Chapter 4: Validity of Research Designs
A. Causal Inference

 
B. Internal validity

 
C. External Validity

 
D. Statistical Conclusion Validity

 
E. Construct Validity of Explanation

 
F. Conclusion

 
Questions to Test Your Knowledge

 
 
Chapter 5: A Brief Review of Statistics
A. Populations and Samples

 
B. Random Sampling

 
C. Models and Notations

 
D. Estimators and Sampling Distributions

 
E. Statistical Inference

 
F. Design Sensitivity

 
G. Design Complexities and Statistical Models

 
H. Multiple Regression Analysis

 
I. Multilevel Statistical Models

 
J. Research Designs

 
Questions to Test Your Knowledge

 
 
Chapter 6: A Brief Review of Measurement
A. What is Measurement?

 
B. Measurement Theory

 
C. Outcome Concept Domains

 
D. Types of Measures

 
E. Scoring of Measures

 
F. Choosing an Outcome Measure

 
Questions to Test Your Knowledge

 
 
Chapter 7: Choosing an Appropriate Effect Size
A. What is an Effect Size?

 
B. Choosing an Effect Size Value

 
C. Other Measurement and Statistical Considerations

 
Questions to Test Your Knowledge

 
 
Section II: Randomized Designs
 
Chapter 8: Introduction to Section II: What is Randomization?
A. Randomization

 
B. Theoretical Objections to Random Assignment

 
C. Small Efficacy Studies

 
D. Overview of The Next Four Chapters

 
 
Chapter 9: Individually Randomized Designs
A. General Approach

 
B. Statistical Model and Notation

 
C. The Statistical Analysis of the Design

 
D. Design Sensitivity

 
E. Strategies to Increase Design Sensitivity

 
F. Examples

 
G. Conclusions

 
Questions to Test Your Learning

 
Appendix

 
 
Chapter 10: Multisite Individually Randomized Designs
A. General Approach

 
B. Statistical Model and Notation

 
C. Multisite Individually Randomized Designs With Fixed Site Effects

 
D. Increasing Design Sensitivity

 
E. Multisite Individually Randomized Designs with Random Site Effects

 
F. Examples

 
G. Conclusions

 
Questions to Test Your Learning

 
Appendix

 
 
Chapter 11: Multisite Cluster Randomized Designs
A. General Approach

 
B. Statistical Model and Notation

 
C. Multi-Site Cluster Randomized Design

 
D. Increasing Design Sensitivity

 
E. Examples

 
F. Conclusions

 
Appendix

 
 
Chapter 12: Cluster Randomized Designs
A. General Approach

 
B. Statistical Model and Analysis

 
C. Increasing Design Sensitivity

 
D. Examples

 
E. Conclusions

 
Questions to Test Your Learning

 
Appendix

 
 
Section III: Quasi-Experimental Designs
 
Chapter 13: Intro to Section III: What Is A ‘Quasi’ Experiment?
A. Threats to Internal Validity in QEDs

 
B. Why Pre-Post Designs are Not Adequate

 
C. Statistical Analyses of QEDs

 
D. QEDs for Small Efficacy Studies

 
 
Chapter 14: Nonequivalent Control Group Designs
A. General Approach

 
B. Statistical Models and Analysis

 
C. Selection Bias

 
D. Confounders and Covariate Selection

 
E. Matching Models

 
F. Statistical Adjustment Methods

 
G. Designing a NECD Study

 
H. Examples

 
I. Conclusions

 
Questions to Test Your Learning

 
 
Chapter 15: The Difference in Differences Design
A. General Approach

 
B. Comparisons of Individuals (No Nesting)

 
C. Multiple Subgroups Within Each Treatment Group

 
D. Design Sensitivity

 
E. Strategies to Increase Design Sensitivity

 
F. Examples

 
G. Conclusions

 
Questions to Test Your Learning

 
Appendix

 
 
Chapter 16: Interrupted Time Series Designs
A. General Approach

 
B. Model and Notation

 
C. Estimation and Analysis of the Design

 
D. Design Sensitivity

 
E. Variants of This Design

 
F. Conclusions

 
Questions to Test Your Learning

 
Appendix

 
 
Section IV: Tools and Reporting
 
Chapter 17: Introduction to Section IV: Tools and Considerations for Practice
A. Principles of Small Efficacy Studies

 
B. Randomized Designs

 
C. Quasi-Experimental Designs

 
D. Tools for Use in the Field

 
 
Chapter 18: Choosing a Research Design
A. Know Your Setting

 
B. Is a Comparison Group Possible?

 
C. Is Randomization Possible?

 
D. Can an Adequately Matched Comparison Group Be Formed?

 
E. Which Designs are Possible?

 
F. What If None of These Designs Can Be Implemented?

 
Questions to Test Your Learning

 
 
Chapter 19: Worksheets for Comparing Designs
A. Overview of Worksheet 1

 
B. Overview of Worksheet 2

 
 
Chapter 20: Best Practices for Reporting Small Efficacy Study Results
A. Reporting Standards

 
B. Special Considerations for Small Efficacy Studies

 
 
List of Tables and Figures
 
Glossary
 
References
 
Index
The book will be an important addition to instruction in designs for causal inference in the field of education. It is long overdue.
 
Thomas J Lipscomb
The University of Southern Mississippi

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