Optimal data collection for randomized control trials
随机对照试验的最优数据收集
Summary In a randomized control trial, the precision of an average treatment effect estimator and the power of the corresponding t-test can be improved either by collecting data on additional individuals, or by collecting additional covariates that predict the outcome variable. To design the experiment, a researcher needs to solve this trade-off subject to her budget constraint. We show that this optimization problem is equivalent to optimally predicting outcomes by the…