How Useful are RCTs in Evaluating Transparency and Accountability?

Abstract

A paper published by the Research, Evidence and Learning component of Making All Voices Count sheds light on existing evidence about the Random Controlled Trials (RCTs) in the evaluation of social accountability tools in service delivery. Where and under what conditions might RCTs be the most appropriate approach? What other evaluation approaches would be more effective, more robust, given the particular characteristics of T&A programmes? The paper attempts to address the overarching question: How and in what ways might RCTs and other experimental methods be appropriate in the context of evaluating T4T&A programmes?