IES Predoctoral Program Seminar: Dr. Beth Tipton

The University of Pennsylvania Predoctoral Training Program in Interdisciplinary Research Methods for Field-based Research in Education, sponsored by the Institute for Education Sciences (IES), welcomes Dr. Beth Tipton to our weekly seminar series.

Generalizability and Heterogeneity: Designing Your Study When Treatment Effects Vary
Presented by Dr. Beth Tipton, Northwestern University

Randomized trials are now common in medicine, the social sciences, and in policy related research. The primary goal of a randomized trial is to estimate the average treatment effect, which averages over unit-specific treatment impacts that might be quite heterogenous. Often the results of such a trial are to be used for making policy or practice decisions in a target population; this, paired with the fact that most such trials take place in samples of convenience, has led to an increased interest in methods for generalizing causal effects. This has included new methods for estimation of average treatment effects that take into account population data, as well as methods for designing sampling and recruitment strategies for such studies. But if treatment effects actually vary, often researchers seek to understand if such heterogeneity can be predicted or explained by unit characteristics. In this talk, I focus on this sampling problem in the face of heterogeneity. I show that by methods for optimal designs found in response surface models can be useful, too, in designing sampling plans that result in increased power and precision for these moderator effects. I situate this in an example based on an evaluation of a school-based reading program. 

More information
The IES Predoctoral Program’s weekly seminar series connects program fellows and affiliates to scholars and practitioners who engage in educational research and the development of research methods.

Seminars are likely of interest to doctoral students and faculty. If you are interested in attending virtually, please email Melanie Bahti for Zoom information.