Working papers

These papers cover a range of content. They may focus on current issues, debates and enduring challenges. Policy-relevant papers in this series synthesise or draw on relevant 3ie-funded studies and reviews, as well as other rigorous evidence, to offer new analyses, findings, insights and recommendations. Methods papers and technical guides help advance understanding, design, and use of rigorous and appropriate evaluations and reviews. 3ie also uses this series to publish lessons learned from 3ie grant-making.

Latest working papers

Working papers

Community-driven development: does it build social cohesion or infrastructure? A mixed-method evidence synthesis

Working paper 3ie

2018

In community-driven development (CDD) programmes, community members are in charge of identifying, implementing and maintaining externally funded development projects.

Evaluating advocacy: an exploration of evidence and tools to understand what works and why

Working paper 3ie

2017

This working paper adds to the growing study and practice of advocacy evaluation by examining the challenges associated with evaluating advocacy initiatives.

3ie evidence gap maps: a starting point for strategic evidence production and use

Working paper 3ie

2017

Evidence Gap Maps (EGMs) provide an important tool for evidence-informed policymaking and strategic research prioritisation.

Examining the evidence on the effectiveness of India’s rural employment guarantee act.

Working paper 3ie

2016

This working paper offers an overview of the existing evidence on India's Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), which aims to provide 100 days of guaranteed paid employm

Power calculation for causal inference in social science: sample size and minimum detectable effect determination

Working paper 3ie

2016

This manual, developed in-house by 3ie's Eric Djimeu and Deo-Gracias Houndolo, presents the basic statistical concepts used in power calculations for experimental design.

Evaluations with impact: decision-focused impact evaluation as a practical policymaking tool

Working paper 3ie

2015

In this paper, impact evaluation firm IDinsight argues that, in order to more effectively inform development action, impact evaluations must be adapted to serve as context-specific tools for decisi

Impact evaluation and policy decisions: where are we? A Latin American think tank perspective

Working paper 3ie

2015

This paper by Jaramillo and Alcázar addresses questions that go to the heart of impact evaluation research: how much has the field achieved towards its goal of informing public policies, and which

What methods may be used in impact evaluations of humanitarian assistance?

Working paper 3ie

2014

Since 2005, more than US$90 billion has been spent on humanitarian assistance. Humanitarian crises are complex situations where demand for aid very often exceeds supply.