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ERIC Number: EJ1293726
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2021
Pages: 34
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1934-5747
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Asymdystopia: The Threat of Small Biases in Evaluations of Education Interventions That Need to Be Powered to Detect Small Impacts
Deke, John; Wei, Thomas; Kautz, Tim
Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, v14 n1 p207-240 2021
Evaluators of education interventions are increasingly designing studies to detect impacts much smaller than the 0.20 standard deviations that Cohen characterized as "small." While the need to detect smaller impacts is based on compelling arguments that such impacts are substantively meaningful, the drive to detect smaller impacts may create a new challenge for researchers: the need to guard against smaller biases. The purpose of this article is twofold. First, we examine the potential for small biases to increase the risk of making false inferences as studies are powered to detect smaller impacts, a phenomenon we refer to as "asymdystopia." We examine this potential for two of the most rigorous designs commonly used in education research--randomized controlled trials and regression discontinuity designs. Second, we recommend strategies researchers can use to avoid or mitigate these biases.
Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Department of Education (ED); Mathematica
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: EDIES12C0083
Author Affiliations: N/A