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help me finish this economics report 3000 words i could provide lectures for u to refer Your report should suggest a novel and potentially interesting intervention clearly explain the problem the intervention is designed to solve, the intervention itself, and the proposed trial discuss in detail the non-obvious and potentially challenging aspects of your intervention avoid repetition, boilerplate, and flfluff

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ECOS3997
Written Report
Dr. Guy Mayraz
School of Economics
University of Sydney
ECOS3997
Outline
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Logistics
1 Introduction
2 Structure and content
3 Logistics
ECOS3997
Written
Report
Introduction
The Project
The Written Report
Brief
Structure and
content
Logistics
Introduction
ECOS3997
Written
Report
Introduction
The Project
The Written Report
Brief
Structure and
content
Logistics
The Project
ECOS3997
Introduction
Written
Report
Introduction
The Project
The Written Report
Brief
Structure and
content
Logistics
• Both the written report and media piece are based on the
same project
• The project was discussed in the introductory lecture
• Since this was a while ago, I repeat the content here
ECOS3997
Expectations
Written
Report
Introduction
The Project
The Written Report
Brief
Structure and
content
Logistics
Come up with an original and non-trivial behavioural
intervention that addresses an important problem, and design
an RCT for it
ECOS3997
Expectations
Written
Report
Introduction
The Project
The Written Report
Brief
Structure and
content
Logistics
Come up with an original and non-trivial behavioural
intervention that addresses an important problem, and design
an RCT for it
You are not expected to come up with a truly ground-breaking
intervention
The point is developing your idea and communicating your
work, rather than the idea itself
ECOS3997
The behavioural intervention
Written
Report
An ideal behavioural intervention
Introduction
The Project
The Written Report
Brief
Structure and
content
1
Addresses an important problem
2
Would make a meaningful difference if it works
3
Has a meaningful chance of working (based on theory
and/or empirical evidence)
4
Is original
Logistics
ECOS3997
The behavioural intervention
Written
Report
An ideal behavioural intervention
Introduction
The Project
The Written Report
Brief
Structure and
content
1
Addresses an important problem
2
Would make a meaningful difference if it works
3
Has a meaningful chance of working (based on theory
and/or empirical evidence)
4
Is original
Logistics
Expectations
I don’t expect you to come with the perfect behavioural
intervention, but you should (i) try your best, and (ii) address
these issues in your writing (e.g. why you think your
intervention has the potential of making a meaningful
difference)
ECOS3997
What is a meaningful difference?
Written
Report
Introduction
The Project
The Written Report
Brief
Structure and
content
Logistics
Something that is worth doing
• reducing COVID deaths by “only” 1% is worth doing,
because you would be saving lives
• if the problem is less important, you need a bigger effect
• quantifying the impact of the intervention in dollar terms
helps decide whether it’s worth doing
ECOS3997
What is original?
Written
Report
Introduction
The Project
The Written Report
Brief
Structure and
content
Logistics
No direct copy
Do not directly copy something that has been done before or
suggest a trivial variation on a pre-existing idea
ECOS3997
What is original?
Written
Report
Introduction
The Project
The Written Report
Brief
No direct copy
Do not directly copy something that has been done before or
suggest a trivial variation on a pre-existing idea
Structure and
content
Logistics
Strong influence is fine
It is perfectly ok to be strongly influenced by previous work:
• Adapting a previous intervention to a new setting (as long
as the adaptation involves non-trivial changes)
• Improving a previous intervention (as long as the
improvement is non-trivial)
• Combining ideas from two different interventions
• Just make sure to acknowledge your influences
ECOS3997
Written
Report
Introduction
The Project
The Written Report
Brief
Structure and
content
Logistics
The Written Report Brief
ECOS3997
Written report brief
Written
Report
Introduction
The Project
The Written Report
Brief
Structure and
content
Logistics
You should write the final report for the following scenario:
• You are working at a behavioural insights team or in a
public sector job and your boss asked you to suggest a
new behavioural intervention
• The final report describes the intervention you came up
with. Its purpose is to enable him or her to make an
informed decision as to whether to trial the intervention
ECOS3997
Your audience
Written
Report
Introduction
The Project
The Written Report
Brief
Structure and
content
Logistics
• The audience is your boss
ECOS3997
Your audience
Written
Report
Introduction
The Project
The Written Report
Brief
Structure and
content
Logistics
• The audience is your boss
• The boss already knows everything there is to know about
behavioural interventions in general
ECOS3997
Your audience
Written
Report
Introduction
The Project
The Written Report
Brief
Structure and
content
Logistics
• The audience is your boss
• The boss already knows everything there is to know about
behavioural interventions in general
• Do not tell your boss things he or she already knows
ECOS3997
Your audience
Written
Report
Introduction
The Project
The Written Report
Brief
Structure and
content
Logistics
• The audience is your boss
• The boss already knows everything there is to know about
behavioural interventions in general
• Do not tell your boss things he or she already knows
• What your boss wants to read about is your idea
ECOS3997
Showing your understanding
Written
Report
Introduction
The Project
The Written Report
Brief
Structure and
content
Logistics
• Your boss will also use your report to judge your
understanding of behavioural interventions
ECOS3997
Showing your understanding
Written
Report
Introduction
The Project
The Written Report
Brief
Structure and
content
Logistics
• Your boss will also use your report to judge your
understanding of behavioural interventions
• Therefore, you should try to demonstrate your
understanding of those ideas by appropriately applying the
ideas that are relevant for your intervention.
ECOS3997
Showing your understanding
Written
Report
Introduction
The Project
The Written Report
Brief
Structure and
content
Logistics
• Your boss will also use your report to judge your
understanding of behavioural interventions
• Therefore, you should try to demonstrate your
understanding of those ideas by appropriately applying the
ideas that are relevant for your intervention.
• Note: your boss is not interested in your ability to
regurgitate ideas from the lecture. Your boss is interested
in your understanding, which you demonstrate by applying
them in discussing your problem, your intervention, and
your RCT.
ECOS3997
Judgement calls
Written
Report
Introduction
The Project
The Written Report
Brief
Structure and
content
Logistics
The problem
• In various places, you would need to make estimates or
make other judgement calls. For example, you may need
to estimate how effective your intervention would be and
how much it would cost
ECOS3997
Judgement calls
Written
Report
Introduction
The Project
The Written Report
Brief
Structure and
content
Logistics
The problem
• In various places, you would need to make estimates or
make other judgement calls. For example, you may need
to estimate how effective your intervention would be and
how much it would cost
• There is no single right answer
ECOS3997
Judgement calls
Written
Report
Introduction
The Project
The Written Report
Brief
Structure and
content
Logistics
The problem
• In various places, you would need to make estimates or
make other judgement calls. For example, you may need
to estimate how effective your intervention would be and
how much it would cost
• There is no single right answer
What you should do
1 Make a choice that you think is most reasonable
2
Explain your reasoning, so that your boss knows that
understand the relevant issues
ECOS3997
Summary
Written
Report
Introduction
The Project
The Written Report
Brief
Structure and
content
Logistics
Your report should
• suggest a novel and potentially interesting intervention
• clearly explain the problem the intervention is designed to
solve, the intervention itself, and the proposed trial
• discuss in detail the non-obvious and potentially
challenging aspects of your intervention
• avoid repetition, boilerplate, and fluff
ECOS3997
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
Logistics
Structure and content
ECOS3997
Sections
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
The report should include the following sections:
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
1
Executive summary
2
The problem
3
The proposed intervention
4
Proposed RCT
5
References
Logistics
Optionally, you may also include one or more appendices
ECOS3997
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
Logistics
Executive summary
ECOS3997
Introduction
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
Logistics
• The executive summary is a summary of the entire report
ECOS3997
Introduction
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
Logistics
• The executive summary is a summary of the entire report
• It should convince the reader to spend the time to read
the rest of the report
ECOS3997
Introduction
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
Logistics
• The executive summary is a summary of the entire report
• It should convince the reader to spend the time to read
the rest of the report
• It should also enable the reader (your boss) to understand
your main ideas in broad strokes. The rest of the report
then fills in the details
ECOS3997
Introduction
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
Logistics
• The executive summary is a summary of the entire report
• It should convince the reader to spend the time to read
the rest of the report
• It should also enable the reader (your boss) to understand
your main ideas in broad strokes. The rest of the report
then fills in the details
• You should probably write the executive summary only
after the main sections, since it should correspond with
what you write in those other sections
ECOS3997
Content
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
Logistics
• The executive summary should convey all the important
points in the report
ECOS3997
Content
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
Logistics
• The executive summary should convey all the important
points in the report
• Roughly speaking, there should 1-2 paragraphs for each of
the three main parts of the report
ECOS3997
Content
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
Logistics
• The executive summary should convey all the important
points in the report
• Roughly speaking, there should 1-2 paragraphs for each of
the three main parts of the report
• The executive summary is not a table of contents.
• As with the rest of the report, the executive summary
should be entirely about your problem, your intervention,
and your proposed RCT.
ECOS3997
Style
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
The executive summary can be written in one of two styles:
Appendices
Logistics
1
ordinary text (paragraphs); or
2
bullet points
ECOS3997
Judging success
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
Good executive summary
• After reading the executive summary, the reader has a
pretty good idea of the problem, the proposed
intervention, and the proposed RCT
• The rest of the report is consistent with the executive
summary
References
Appendices
Logistics
Bad executive summary
• After reading the executive summary carefully, the reader
still has only the vaguest idea what the project is about
• Alternatively, the reader has a well-defined idea of what
the project is about, but this idea is inconsistent with what
is written later in the report
• The executive summary is full of boilerplate and fluff
ECOS3997
Repetition
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
Logistics
• Since the executive summary is meant to be a summary of
the rest of the report, it is OK to repeat ideas between the
executive summary and the rest of the report
• However, do not repeat entire sentences or longer sections
ECOS3997
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
Logistics
The Problem
ECOS3997
Introduction
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
Logistics
In this section you describe
1 the problem that motivates the intervention
2
the behaviour that creates this problem or is a significant
contributor to it
ECOS3997
Introduction
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
In this section you describe
1 the problem that motivates the intervention
2
Proposed RCT
References
the behaviour that creates this problem or is a significant
contributor to it
Appendices
Logistics
You need to convince the reader that
1 the problem is important
2
the behaviour in question is indeed causing the problem, or
is a significant contributor to it
ECOS3997
The problem
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
Logistics
What exactly is the problem?
This has to be completely clear
ECOS3997
The problem
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
What exactly is the problem?
This has to be completely clear
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
Why should we care?
You need to convince readers that you are addressing an
important problem
Logistics
• If you are successful, readers will be convinced that any
intervention that helps reducing this problem is worth
looking into
• If at all possible, you should try to quantify the importance
of the problem in dollar terms
ECOS3997
Importance in dollar terms
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
Logistics
Quantifying the importance of a problem makes it possible later
to quantify the value of the intervention
ECOS3997
Importance in dollar terms
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Quantifying the importance of a problem makes it possible later
to quantify the value of the intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
Logistics
• If the problem is monetary by nature, a dollar value can be
computed
ECOS3997
Importance in dollar terms
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Quantifying the importance of a problem makes it possible later
to quantify the value of the intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
Logistics
• If the problem is monetary by nature, a dollar value can be
computed
• In other problems, you need to find a reasonable way of
coming up with a dollar equivalent of the loss that the
problem causes
ECOS3997
Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALYs)
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
Logistics
An important special case is problems that reduce the quality
of life
ECOS3997
Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALYs)
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
An important special case is problems that reduce the quality
of life
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
Logistics
• Such problems can be quantified using QALYs.
ECOS3997
Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALYs)
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
An important special case is problems that reduce the quality
of life
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
Logistics
• Such problems can be quantified using QALYs.
• For example, 10 years of life lived at only 70% quality
(30% less than optimal) represent a loss of 3 QALYs
ECOS3997
Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALYs)
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
An important special case is problems that reduce the quality
of life
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
Logistics
• Such problems can be quantified using QALYs.
• For example, 10 years of life lived at only 70% quality
(30% less than optimal) represent a loss of 3 QALYs
• You can attach a dollar value to a such a loss, by putting
a dollar value on a full QALY. For example, $100,000 per
QALY.
ECOS3997
Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALYs)
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
An important special case is problems that reduce the quality
of life
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
Logistics
• Such problems can be quantified using QALYs.
• For example, 10 years of life lived at only 70% quality
(30% less than optimal) represent a loss of 3 QALYs
• You can attach a dollar value to a such a loss, by putting
a dollar value on a full QALY. For example, $100,000 per
QALY.
• A complete loss life is represented by one QALY per year
of life lost
ECOS3997
The behaviour that is behind the problem
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
• You need to explain the behaviour and/or choice that you
are focusing on, and convince readers that it plays an
important role is causing the problem
References
Appendices
Logistics
• If you are successful, readers will be convinced that any
intervention that helps address this behaviour or changes
this choice will have a significant impact on the problem
(hopefully, they are already already convinced that the
problem itself is important)
ECOS3997
Data and other references
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
Logistics
Whenever possible, you should use properly referenced data to
support your claims
ECOS3997
Data and other references
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Whenever possible, you should use properly referenced data to
support your claims
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
Logistics
You may also reference previous work that supports the
importance of the problem and/or the role of the behaviour in
question in causing the problem.
ECOS3997
Data and other references
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Whenever possible, you should use properly referenced data to
support your claims
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
You may also reference previous work that supports the
importance of the problem and/or the role of the behaviour in
question in causing the problem.
Logistics
Try to find the best supporting data and/or references and to
find data/references of different types
ECOS3997
Data and other references
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Whenever possible, you should use properly referenced data to
support your claims
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
You may also reference previous work that supports the
importance of the problem and/or the role of the behaviour in
question in causing the problem.
Logistics
Try to find the best supporting data and/or references and to
find data/references of different types
You may want to be selective, particularly with data. A long
list of similar data loses focus. Highlight the best and/or most
relevant data.
ECOS3997
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
Logistics
The Proposed Intervention
ECOS3997
Introduction
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Proposed Intervention section introduces your behavioural
intervention
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
It answers the following questions:
References
Appendices
Logistics
1
What exactly is your proposed intervention?
2
How did you come up with it?
3
How would it work?
4
What are its goals?
5
What are the costs and hoped-for benefits?
ECOS3997
The proposed intervention
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
Logistics
• Start by explaining the basic idea
ECOS3997
The proposed intervention
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
Logistics
• Start by explaining the basic idea
• Then go into sufficient detail that readers can take your
description and implement the intervention.
ECOS3997
The proposed intervention
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
Logistics
• Start by explaining the basic idea
• Then go into sufficient detail that readers can take your
description and implement the intervention.
• It is essential that readers have a precise idea of what you
propose to do.
ECOS3997
The proposed intervention
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
Logistics
• Start by explaining the basic idea
• Then go into sufficient detail that readers can take your
description and implement the intervention.
• It is essential that readers have a precise idea of what you
propose to do.
• In some interventions, it may be appropriate to include
sample material (e.g. sample forms) in an appendix. Such
sample material helps readers reader understand your
ideas, but also help you think them through.
ECOS3997
How did you come up with it?
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
Logistics
• You should explain how your intervention relates to theory
and previous experience
ECOS3997
How did you come up with it?
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
Logistics
• You should explain how your intervention relates to theory
and previous experience
• How did you come up with the idea?
• Are you importing an idea that has been tried before in a
different context?
• Are you combining ideas from different interventions?
• Is your idea based on psychology findings or behavioural
economics theory?
• Something else entirely?
ECOS3997
How did you come up with it?
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
Logistics
• You should explain how your intervention relates to theory
and previous experience
• How did you come up with the idea?
• Are you importing an idea that has been tried before in a
different context?
• Are you combining ideas from different interventions?
• Is your idea based on psychology findings or behavioural
economics theory?
• Something else entirely?
• You want to show that you are aware of previous work,
and can place your ideas in this context
ECOS3997
How would it work?
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
Logistics
• You need to explain why you believe that the proposed
intervention would be successful in changing the behaviour
you presented in the problem section
ECOS3997
How would it work?
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
Logistics
• You need to explain why you believe that the proposed
intervention would be successful in changing the behaviour
you presented in the problem section
• You should support your argument using some
combination of
• psychological or behavioural economics theory
• evidence from previous interventions (e.g. in reports you
find on the behavioural insights team website, or in
academic papers)
ECOS3997
The intervention’s goals
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
Logistics
Describe the goals of the intervention
ECOS3997
The intervention’s goals
Written
Report
Introduction
Describe the goals of the intervention
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
Ambitious
The goals should be ambitious enough that, if the intervention
can meet these goals, it would be worth pursuing
References
Appendices
Logistics
Realistic
The goals should be realistic enough that we can expect the
intervention to meet these goals
Precise
The goals should be precise enough that we can test whether
they are met
ECOS3997
Costs and benefits
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
Logistics
You should provide a reasoned estimate for the cost of the
intervention and for its benefits
ECOS3997
Costs and benefits
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
Logistics
You should provide a reasoned estimate for the cost of the
intervention and for its benefits
Benefits
The benefits are going to be some fraction of cost of the
problem the intervention is intended to address (a fraction,
since most interventions only partially solve the problem)
ECOS3997
Costs and benefits
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
You should provide a reasoned estimate for the cost of the
intervention and for its benefits
Benefits
The benefits are going to be some fraction of cost of the
problem the intervention is intended to address (a fraction,
since most interventions only partially solve the problem)
Logistics
Costs
The costs should be
• realistic
• significantly less than the benefits (otherwise, the
intervention isn’t worth considering)
ECOS3997
References
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
Logistics
As in the problem section, you should look for previous work to
support your claims
ECOS3997
References
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
As in the problem section, you should look for previous work to
support your claims
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
Logistics
It is essential that you place your ideas in the context of
previous work
• acknowledge ideas you took from somewhere else
• don’t be shy about your own contribution
ECOS3997
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
Logistics
Proposed RCT
ECOS3997
Introduction
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
This section explains how you plan to trial your intervention. It
should include:
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
1
Broad design (simple, multiple treatment groups, factorial)
2
Outcome variables and success criterion
3
Other tests
4
Issues with external validity
5
Sample size
6
Cost estimate
References
Appendices
Logistics
ECOS3997
Broad design
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
Logistics
• You should describe your choice of an RCT design (simple,
multiple treatments, or factorial design) and explain this
choice
• In some cases, this choice is quite obvious, so this part can
be very brief
• In other cases, there is more than one reasonable option;
in that case, you should explain your reasoning in detail
ECOS3997
Outcome variables and success criterion
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
Logistics
• You should explain exactly what the outcome variables are,
including their type (e.g. binary, continuous, ordered
categorical)
• You should explain how the outcomes would be measured
• You should explain precisely what the success criterion is
• You should explain why you chose this particular success
criterion
ECOS3997
Other tests
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
Logistics
• Are you planning to do any additional tests? (e.g. test the
impact in particular subgroups, conduct tests with
particular controls)
• If so, why? If not, why not?
ECOS3997
External validity
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
The RCTs lecture describes potential issues that could result in
a failure of external validity
References
Appendices
Logistics
• You should consider these issues in turn, and explain which
ones (if any) are relevant to your intervention
• For any relevant issues, you should describe what you
propose to do about them
ECOS3997
Sample size
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
Logistics
• You should conduct a power calculation appropriate to
your intervention, and decide on a particular sample size
• You should explain this choice with reference to the power
calculation and the practicalities of a large sample size
ECOS3997
Cost estimate
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
Logistics
• You should provide a cost estimate for conducting the trial
ECOS3997
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
Logistics
References
ECOS3997
References
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
• You should include all your references, including electronic
resources, such as websites
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
Logistics
• The references should be ordered by the first author’s
surname
• When referring to papers and books in the text, use the
author/date reference form, e.g. Newton (1687)
• The reference list is not included in the word count
ECOS3997
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
Logistics
Appendices
ECOS3997
Appendices
Written
Report
Introduction
Structure and
content
Executive summary
The Problem
The Proposed
Intervention
Proposed RCT
References
Appendices
Logistics
• Appendices are o