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In this paper, we demonstrate how to effectively design and analyze randomized experiments, which are becoming increasingly common in political science research. Randomized experiments provide researchers with an opportunity to obtain unbiased estimates of causal effects because the randomization of treatment guarantees that the treatment and control groups are on average equal in both observed and unobserved characteristics. Even in randomized experiments, however, complications can arise. In political science experiments, researchers often cannot force subjects to comply with treatment assignment or to provide the information necessary for the estimation of causal effects. Building on the recent statistical literature, we show how to make statistical adjustments for these noncompliance and nonresponse problems when analyzing randomized experiments. We also demonstrate how to design randomized experiments so that the potential impact of such complications is minimized. (Last Revised July 25, 2005) |