External validity
External validity captures the extent to which inferences drawn from a given study's sample
apply to a broader population or other target populations. Social scientists frequently invoke …
apply to a broader population or other target populations. Social scientists frequently invoke …
A systematic survey of prompt engineering on vision-language foundation models
Prompt engineering is a technique that involves augmenting a large pre-trained model with
task-specific hints, known as prompts, to adapt the model to new tasks. Prompts can be …
task-specific hints, known as prompts, to adapt the model to new tasks. Prompts can be …
Does financial education impact financial literacy and financial behavior, and if so, when?
T Kaiser, L Menkhoff - The World Bank Economic Review, 2017 - academic.oup.com
In a meta-analysis of 126 impact evaluation studies, we find that financial education
significantly impacts financial behavior and, to an even larger extent, financial literacy …
significantly impacts financial behavior and, to an even larger extent, financial literacy …
From proof of concept to scalable policies: Challenges and solutions, with an application
The promise of randomized controlled trials is that evidence gathered through the evaluation
of a specific program helps us—possibly after several rounds of fine-tuning and multiple …
of a specific program helps us—possibly after several rounds of fine-tuning and multiple …
Understanding the average impact of microcredit expansions: A Bayesian hierarchical analysis of seven randomized experiments
R Meager - American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, 2019 - aeaweb.org
Despite evidence from multiple randomized evaluations of microcredit, questions about
external validity have impeded consensus on the results. I jointly estimate the average effect …
external validity have impeded consensus on the results. I jointly estimate the average effect …
Generalization in the tropics–development policy, randomized controlled trials, and external validity
Abstract When properly implemented, Randomized Controlled Trials (RCT) achieve a high
degree of internal validity. Yet, if an RCT is to inform policy, it is critical to establish external …
degree of internal validity. Yet, if an RCT is to inform policy, it is critical to establish external …
Microfinance and economic development
Microfinance was first trumpeted as a way to unleash the productive capacities of poor
people dependent on self-employment (eg, Hulme and Mosley, 1996). The idea was …
people dependent on self-employment (eg, Hulme and Mosley, 1996). The idea was …
Should the randomistas (continue to) rule?
M Ravallion - 2020 - nber.org
The rising popularity of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in development applications has
come with continuing debates about the merits of this approach. The paper takes stock of the …
come with continuing debates about the merits of this approach. The paper takes stock of the …
Social norms and energy conservation beyond the US
The seminal studies by Allcott and Mullainathan (2010), Allcott (2011), and Allcott and
Rogers (2014) show that social comparison-based home energy reports (HER) are a cost …
Rogers (2014) show that social comparison-based home energy reports (HER) are a cost …
Digital information provision and behavior change: Lessons from six experiments in East Africa
R Fabregas, M Kremer, M Lowes, R On… - American Economic …, 2025 - pubs.aeaweb.org
While some studies suggest mobile phone–based information programs change behavior;
others find no effect. We evaluate six text message agricultural extension programs …
others find no effect. We evaluate six text message agricultural extension programs …