Where next for partial randomisation of research funding? The feasibility of RCTs and alternatives

We outline essential considerations for any study of partial randomisation of research funding, and consider scenarios in which randomised controlled trials (RCTs) would be feasible and appropriate. We highlight the interdependence of target outcomes, sample availability and statistical power for de...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Wellcome open research 2023, Vol.8, p.309
Main Authors: Stafford, Tom, Rombach, Ines, Hind, Dan, Mateen, Bilal, Woods, Helen Buckley, Dimario, Munya, Wilsdon, James
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
eng
experiments
lottery
metaresearch
metascience
Review
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Summary:We outline essential considerations for any study of partial randomisation of research funding, and consider scenarios in which randomised controlled trials (RCTs) would be feasible and appropriate. We highlight the interdependence of target outcomes, sample availability and statistical power for determining the cost and feasibility of a trial. For many choices of target outcome, RCTs may be less practical and more expensive than they at first appear (in large part due to issues pertaining to sample size and statistical power). As such, we briefly discuss alternatives to RCTs. It is worth noting that many of the considerations relevant to experiments on partial randomisation may also apply to other potential experiments on funding processes (as described in The Experimental Research Funder's Handbook. RoRI, June 2022).
ISSN:2398-502X
2398-502X
DOI:10.12688/wellcomeopenres.19565.1