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Citation

Angeles, Gustavo; Handa, Sudhanshu; Peterman, Amber; Daidone, Silvio; Grinspun, Alejandro; Winder Rossi, Natalia; de Hoop, Jacobus; Otchere, Frank; Yablonski, Jennifer; & Palermo, Tia M., et al. (2020). Beyond Internal Validity: Towards a Broader Understanding of Credibility in Development Policy Research. World Development, 127, 3.

Abstract

We provide evidence from the Transfer Project to show that methodological design is only one factor in determining credibility in the eyes of policymakers. Policymakers understand concerns around internal validity, but also value collaborative research engagement, which builds trust, allows co-creation of research questions, informs operations throughout the evaluation period and leverages national research expertise. Further, the mere act of engaging in a large-scale, transparent impact evaluation, across quasi and experimental designs can change the culture of decision-making within an agency, leading to better policy choices in the long run. We advocate for a more inclusive approach to policy research that begins with identifying the most relevant research question and fitting the methods to the question rather than vice-versa. We challenge the field to engage more closely with policymakers to identify their evidence needs in order to prioritize the end objective of improving the lives of the poor regardless of methodological design choices.

URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2019.104802

Reference Type

Journal Article

Year Published

2020

Journal Title

World Development

Author(s)

Angeles, Gustavo
Handa, Sudhanshu
Peterman, Amber
Daidone, Silvio
Grinspun, Alejandro
Winder Rossi, Natalia
de Hoop, Jacobus
Otchere, Frank
Yablonski, Jennifer
Palermo, Tia M.
Transfer Project,

Article Type

Regular

Data Set/Study

Transfer Project

Continent/Country

Sub-Saharan Africa
Ethiopia
Ghana
Kenya
Lesotho
Malawi
Mozambique
Tanzania
Zambia
Zimbabwe

ORCiD

Angeles - 0000-0003-4598-152X