Solid and thorough account of experimental research and the use of randomised control trials. Handles a huge amount of material thoroughly but (in my opinion) could have been condensed further. Unlikely to convince the casual reader.

I love the comprehensive look at how we test for the viability of products/experiments. While I am familiar with the idea of random testing, I was not about the impact they make. That’s why I appreciated the many case studies.

Randomistas by Andrew Leigh is about the history and use of randomised trials in different areas and the importance of objective evidence.

Fascinating, but at times rather heavy going. I enjoyed reading about the early results of random trials, trying to find a cure for scurvey e.g. and the concept is very interesting but personally I felt the book lost its momentum part way through.

Randomised controlled trials are usually associated with science or clinical trials. But for a while they have been used in the field of social sciences. Something, as a scientist who has recently converted to the field of social sciences, I found intriguing.
How can you possibly conduct a randomised controlled trial in the social science field when it usually involves ensuring the people involved in the trial, including those administering the intervention, do not know whether they are getting a placebo or the actual intervention?
The answer is a variation on the process. It might not have the same rigour considered from the perspective of a science-related trial, but this can be developed to accommodate the very messy world of social science research, which has to be conducted with the types and amounts of variables which would make a science researcher lose their grasp on reason.
Andrew Leigh has tried to bring together as many examples as possible in order to provide the reader with a description of as many different experimental approaches used by researchers in social science and education-related projects as possible. Using these examples, he is also able to discuss the problems and the advantages of the process.
In many cases the more conventional social science research approach has failed to identify particular problems, whereas the randomised control trial has revealed them in all their glory and as a result made it possible for the intervention to be adjusted. In other words, a randomised control trial approach has the capacity to increase awareness of the potential ‘blind spots’ in social science research.
There is no doubt that this, like every research approach, has its flaws and Leigh’s balanced approach addresses this. But it is certainly a book that makes you think and pull yourself out of complacency when it comes to considering how to study society’s problems and change policies for the better through this new approach to social research.

This book was eye opening for me, as I did not realize how many different areas were impacted by the randomized trials being performed. They are used in so many areas, such as teaching, crime solving, etc. The author wrote in a way that anyone can read this and understand it, which I appreciated since I do not work in this field.

Very interesting!
I couldn't help but request to read this book when I came across it on NetGalley because one it's talking about radical research and two it promises to highlight the pros and cons of randomized trials. I love research and I've worked in the field for a while, so this book's ability to share insights into some of the trials that I'd only heard of or read about like Australia's "The Journey to Social Inclusion Program," was insightful.
The language is simple, more like talking to someone over a cup of coffee but learning lots of stuff while at it.
I'd recommend it to anyone who's also working on Design challenges and seeks innovative solutions to challenges.