Howard White

Howard white
Designation: Director, GDN Evaluation and Evidence Synthesis Programme
Howard is the Director of the GDN Evaluation and Evidence Synthesis Programme. Formerly, he was the CEO of the Campbell Collaboration and Adjunct Professor, Alfred Deakin Research Institute, Deakin University. He is also a former executive director of 3ie.

Blogs by author

How big is big? The need for sector knowledge in judging effect sizes and performing power calculations

A recent Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) newsletter reported new study findings from Ghana on using SMS reminders to ensure people complete their course of anti-malaria pills. The researchers concluded that the intervention worked. More research is needed to tailor the messages to be even more effective.

“Well, that didn’t work. Let’s do it again.”

Suppose you toss a coin and it comes up heads. Do you conclude that it is a double-headed coin? No, you don’t. Suppose it comes up heads twice, and then a third time. Do you now conclude the coin is double-headed? Again, no you don’t. There is a one in eight chance (12.5 per cent) that a coin will come up heads three times in a row. So, though it is not that likely, it can and does happen.

Twelve tips for selling randomised controlled trials to reluctant policymakers and programme managers

I recently wrote a blog on ten things that can go wrong with randomised controlled trials (RCTs). As a sequel, which may seem to be a bit of a non-sequiter, here are twelve tips for selling RCTs to reluctant policymakers and programme managers.

Ten things that can go wrong with randomised controlled trials

From the vantage point of 3ie having funded over 150 studies in the last few years, there are some pitfalls to watch for in order to design and implement randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that lead to better policies and better lives. If we don’t watch out for these, we will just end up wasting the time and money of funders, researchers and the intended beneficiaries.

How fruity should you be?

A couple of months back the BBC reported a new study which questioned existing advice to eat five portions of fresh fruit and vegetables a day.  Five was not enough according to the study authors, it should be seven.  I really do try each day to eat five portions. Where was I going to find the time and space for these extra two portions?  But this looked like a sound study published in a respected academic journal, with data from over 65,000 people.