C-BEAR SUMMER SCHOOL: Introduction to Experiments in Social Science

Description:

This five-day summer school introduces experimental methods in the Social Sciences, covering lab, field, and survey experiments. Participants will gain a solid foundation in experimental methodology and practical skills for designing, implementing, analysing, and presenting experiments. The interdisciplinary team of the Centre for Behavioural Experimental Action and Research (C-BEAR) will lead the five-day course, using examples from Politics, Economics, Business, and Psychology. Days 1 and 2 cover the basics of designing, analysing, and presenting different types of experimental designs, while Days 3, 4, and 5 will provide in-depth knowledge and insights on survey, field, and laboratory experiments. The hands-on activities throughout the week ensure that participants not only understand the theoretical aspects of experimental methods but also acquire the practical skills necessary to apply these methods in their own research.

Coffee and light refreshments will be served every day during dedicated breaks in the morning and afternoon sessions. Lunch and planned dinners are self-catered.

Software requirements

Students should bring their own laptop and install R, the free version of Stata, and Excel (or an open alternative).

Day 1: Foundations in experimental methods 

Instructors: Dr. Jana Sadeh, Dr. Vanessa Cheng-Matsuno, Prof. Tereza Capelos

Day 1 provides a balanced mix of theory, storytelling, discussion, and hands-on practice to engage participants and build a strong foundation in experimental methods. The learning outcomes for the program encompass both theoretical and practical aspects. Participants will delve into the rich history and foundational definitions of experiments, exploring the diverse types that have shaped research across disciplines. They will gain insights into the advantages and disadvantages of using experiments compared to other research designs, providing a comprehensive understanding of when and why to employ experimental methods. On the practical side, participants will have the opportunity to implement a simple experiment themselves. This hands-on experience will guide them through designing the experiment, then analysing and presenting the results.

Morning Session: 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM (refreshments break 11:00am)

Lunch Break: 12:30 PM - 2:00 PM (buy/bring your own)

Afternoon Session: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM (refreshments break 3:30pm) Highlights include:

• Welcome and Introduction

• Engaging stories that illustrate the value of experiments

• Group work and discussion on the fundamental aspects of experimental design

• Introduction to different types of designs

• Research questions suitable for experimentation

• Practical session on designing a simple experiment

• Welcome GROUP DINNER (self-catering)

Day 2: Key concepts and essential experimental techniques 

Instructors: Dr. Paolo Spada and Prof. Konstantinos Katsikopoulos

Day 2 delves into both the theoretical underpinnings and practical applications of experimental methods in social sciences. The day is structured to enhance participants' understanding of key concepts and provide hands-on experience with essential research techniques. We will review the Potential Outcome Model, a fundamental framework for causal inference in experiments, and discuss the ethical principles that govern experimental research, ensuring that participants understand the importance of conducting studies responsibly and ethically. The practical sessions on Day 2 are designed to reinforce the theoretical concepts through hands-on activities. We will design experiments, learn how to calculate average treatment effects and determine statistical power, review pre-registration examples, and engage in replication exercises.

Morning Session: 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM (refreshments break 11:00am)

Lunch Break: 12:30 PM - 2:00 PM (buy/bring your own)

Afternoon Session: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM (refreshments break 3:30pm) Highlights include:

• Understand the Potential Outcome Model

• Design experiments

• Calculate average treatment effects and statistical power

• Learn about pre-registration with examples

• Discuss ethical principles and guidelines

• Analyse data and report experimental results with graphs and plots

Day 3: Survey Experiments 

Instructors: Professor Robert Johns

Day 3 focuses on survey experiments, offering participants a blend of theoretical knowledge and practical skills. The day is designed to deepen their understanding of survey-based experimental methods and provide hands-on experience with designing and analysing

survey experiment data. We will introduce survey experiments and how they differ from other experimental methods, and we will highlight key studies that have shaped the field. In the practical sessions, participants will focus on designing and analysing conjoint experiments and presenting the results clearly and effectively. By the end of Day 3, participants will be equipped with the theoretical understanding and practical skills needed to design, implement, and analyse survey experiments, with a particular focus on conjoint analysis.

Morning Session: 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM (refreshments break 11:00am)

Lunch Break: 12:30 PM - 2:00 PM (buy/bring your own)

Afternoon Session: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM (refreshments break 3:30pm) Highlights include:

• Understand the significance and applications of survey experiments in social sciences.

• Overview of classic survey experiments

• Design a conjoint experiment

• Replicate the analysis of a conjoint experiment

• Interpret the findings, draw conclusions, present results

Day 4: Field Experiments 

Instructors: Dr. Monica Beeder and Dr. Paolo Spada

Day 4 is dedicated to field experiments, providing participants with a comprehensive understanding of this essential research method. The day's agenda combines theoretical insights with practical exercises to ensure participants can effectively design, manage, and analyse field experiments. The introduction to field experiments is followed by an overview of the strengths and challenges of field experiments, a discussion of classic studies that have made significant contributions to the field, offering appreciation for the methodological rigour and practical implications of field experiments. The practical sessions focus on the design and analysis of field experiments, and the review of the logistical considerations involved will offer a real-world perspective on managing field experiments. We will replicate the analysis and presentation of a simple field experiment, calculate treatment effects, test hypotheses, and communicate findings through visual aids.

Morning Session: 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM (refreshments break 11:00am)

Lunch Break: 12:30 PM - 2:00 PM (buy/bring your own)

Afternoon Session: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM (refreshments break 3:30pm) Highlights include:

• Understand the significance and characteristics of field experiments

• Overview of classic field experiments

• Project management of field experiments

• Hands-on analysis of data from a field experiment

• Perform statistical analyses to interpret results and test hypotheses

• Presentation of field experiment results using visual aids

Day 5: Laboratory Experiments & Online Incentivized Experiments 

Instructors: Dr. João V. Ferreira

Day 5 marks the culmination of the C-BEAR summer school with a session on laboratory and online incentivized experiments. We will introduce these experiments and explore their unique features, with a focus on ways to incentivize the truthful revelation of preferences and beliefs and the design of paradigmatic games used by experimental economists. The practical sessions will focus on the tools and techniques necessary to design your own lab or online incentivized experiment, with an opportunity to design a simple experiment in groups. We will also replicate the analysis and presentation of a simple lab experiment. Using real data, we will calculate treatment effects, conduct hypothesis tests, and learn how to present results clearly and concisely. The day is designed to equip participants with the necessary knowledge and skills to leverage a range of tools used in laboratory and online incentivized experiments in their own research endeavours.

Morning Session: 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM (refreshments break 11:00am)

Lunch Break: 12:30 PM - 2:00 PM (buy/bring your own)

Afternoon Session: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM (refreshments break 3:30pm) Highlights include:

• Understand the significance and features of laboratory and online incentivized experiments

• Overview of classic lab experiments and paradigmatic games used by experimental economists

• Learn about methods and tools to incentivize the truthful revelation of preferences and beliefs

• Participate in paradigmatic games

• Design your own simple experiment

• Replicate the analysis of a lab experiment

• Perform statistical analyses to interpret results and test hypotheses

• Presentation of lab experimental results

• Farewell GROUP DINNER (self-catering)

The target audience of the course are professionals, members of public institutions and researchers that are approaching experimental methods for the first time and are interested to implement an experiment for the first time or to commission an experiment to a survey company or other service provider.

The course does not require any previous knowledge of experimental design or statistics and is open to anybody with basic high school knowledge of mathematics.  The level (junior, senior, etc.) of the course is open.

The workshop is taught by a team of faculty members from Politics, Economics, Psychology and Business, and it is targeted to people with interests in any discipline in the social sciences. 

The workshop is designed to have no requisite beyond a basic understanding of secondary school mathematics. The first two days will provide the students the mathematical and statistical tools to engage effectively with the rest of the course.

Participants need to bring their own device that can run basic office suites, and free versions of R and Stata.  

PLEASE NOTE REFRESHMENTS WILL BE PROVIDED BUT PARTICIPANTS WILL NEED TO BRING/BUY THEIR OWN LUNCH.

Cost:

£300 for students. £650 for staff working for academic institutions, Research Councils and other recognised research institutions, registered charity organisations and the public sector. £950 for all other participants. All fees include event materials and morning and afternoon refreshments but lunch is not provided. Fees do not include travel and accommodation costs. In the event of cancellation by the delegate a full refund of the course fee is available up to two weeks prior to the course. NO refunds are available after this date. If it is no longer possible to run a course due to circumstances beyond its control, NCRM reserves the right to cancel the course at its sole discretion at any time prior to the event. In this event every effort will be made to reschedule the course. If this is not possible or the new date is inconvenient a full refund of the course fee will be given. NCRM shall not be liable for any costs, losses or expenses that may be incurred as a result of its cancellation of a course, including but not limited to any travel or accommodation costs.

Website and registration:

Register for this course

Region:

South East

Keywords:

Quantitative Data Handling and Data Analysis, R, Stata, Experimental design, Laboratory studies, Randomized Control Trials (RCT), Field Experiments, Survey Experiments, Lab experiments, Conjoint Experiments, Audit Experiments, List Experiments, Online Experiments, Experimental economics, Behavioural economics, Political Psychology

Related publications and presentations from our eprints archive:

Quantitative Data Handling and Data Analysis
R
Stata

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