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So you want to run an experiment, now what? Some simple rules of thumb for optimal experimental design

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 March 2025

John A. List ,
Sally Sadoff  and
Mathis Wagner
John A. List
Affiliation:
University of Chicago, 1126 E. 59th Street, Chicago, IL 60637, USA NBER, Cambridge, MA, USA
Sally Sadoff*
Affiliation:
University of Chicago, 1126 E. 59th Street, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
Mathis Wagner
Affiliation:
Department of Economics, Boston College, 140 Commonwealth Avenue, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, USA
*
e-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Experimental economics represents a strong growth industry. In the past several decades the method has expanded beyond intellectual curiosity, now meriting consideration alongside the other more traditional empirical approaches used in economics. Accompanying this growth is an influx of new experimenters who are in need of straightforward direction to make their designs more powerful. This study provides several simple rules of thumb that researchers can apply to improve the efficiency of their experimental designs. We buttress these points by including empirical examples from the literature.

Keywords

Experimental design

JEL classification

C90: General
Type
Original Paper
Information
Experimental Economics , Volume 14 , Issue 4 , November 2011 , pp. 439 - 457
Copyright
Copyright © 2011 Economic Science Association

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