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How Within-Study Comparisons can Inform Research and Evaluation Design for the Third Sector.

Kaitlin P Anderson1, Patrick J Wolf2

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PubMed
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Within-study comparisons (WSCs) help determine when to use experiments versus quasi-experiments (QEs). Our study shows QEs can yield low bias in third-sector evaluations if self-selection is properly addressed.

Keywords:
External validityInternal validityQuasi-experimental designsWithin-study comparison

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Area of Science:

  • Social Sciences
  • Educational Research
  • Program Evaluation

Background:

  • Quasi-experiments (QEs) are often used to evaluate programs when randomized controlled trials are not feasible.
  • Assessing the internal and external validity trade-offs of QEs is crucial for reliable findings.
  • Within-study comparisons (WSCs) offer a methodological approach to evaluate QE validity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the methodological literature on WSCs.
  • To present a WSC of a school voucher program to inform policy debates.
  • To assess the validity of QEs in third-sector program evaluations.

Main Methods:

  • Review of methodological literature on WSCs.
  • Conducting a WSC using a school voucher program dataset.
  • Comparing quasi-experimental results against an experimental benchmark.

Main Results:

  • WSCs can inform decisions on using experiments versus QEs.
  • Quasi-experimental evaluations of third-sector institutions can exhibit low bias.
  • Inclusion of proxy variables for voluntary self-selection is key to reducing bias in QE models.

Conclusions:

  • WSCs are valuable tools for methodological and policy decisions in program evaluation.
  • QEs can be a valid alternative to experiments in certain contexts, particularly in the third sector.
  • Careful consideration of selection bias through proxy variables enhances the credibility of QE findings.