a nice article from chris said, discussing how we might alter publication rules (and the granting requirements of donor organizations) in a way to move us closer to good, useful research – specifically, looking more toward the importance of the question and the rigor of the method to answer it. i am, of course, fullyContinueContinue reading “we’re experimenting! also, clarifying types of replications”
Category Archives: Research
experimenting with intention
this post revisits some issues i have touched on before. first of all, good find by roving bandit. the gist is that an experimental program undertaken in ‘ideal’ (NGO-run) conditions did not show any effect when the same program was run by the government. oops. i think this raises several possible questions related to carryingContinueContinue reading “experimenting with intention”
fun with questions (I)
from a letter home from ghana, in which i tried to explain the basics of how the research on which i was working actually…worked. plus, the response from one of my very favorite people on the planet. roughly, in the research project, we tried to convince people obtaining a malaria medication to subscribe into aContinueContinue reading “fun with questions (I)”
wait, we’re experimenting, right?
many of the descriptions of the ideal next World Bank president – at least the ones with which I agree – have called for a little more humility about how much we actually know about economic & human development and poverty reduction. so it’s frustrating to see articles like this, which imply a low level ofContinueContinue reading “wait, we’re experimenting, right?”
rethinking the use of the word ‘simple’ in global health & development (III)
suvojit made some great points that turned into (what i think is) an interesting conversation. check it & think about what ‘best buys’ in development really mean. plus, generally check out suvo! we’re all better off since he decided to stop and blog every now and then.
Asking people what they think (and want) (II)
In responding to a recent article about the Kony2012 debacle, Bill Easterly pointed out that “NGOs should screen advocacy material with beneficiaries.” Though I tend to be more on the research than the service delivery or advocacy end of work, I fully agree. Of course, intended beneficiaries – and other stakeholders – should be consultedContinueContinue reading “Asking people what they think (and want) (II)”
Asking people what they think (I)
This is only a small splinter off my much larger soapbox of “why don’t we ask a multitude of stakeholders at all levels what they think and why they think x program did/not work?” but… check it out. Instead of channeling the world’s poorest citizens through malfunctioning microphones, I am proposing a radical, yet extremelyContinueContinue reading “Asking people what they think (I)”
Heather E. Lanthorn 