Using Propensity Scores in Educational Research: General Principles and Practical Applications

Abstract

Educational researchers frequently study the impact of treatments or interventions on educational outcomes. However, when observational or quasiexperimental data are used for such investigations, selection bias can adversely impact researchers’ abilities to make causal inferences about treatment effects. One way to deal with selection bias is to use propensity score methods. The authors introduce educational researchers to the general principles underlying propensity score methods, describe 2 practical applications of these methods, and discuss their limitations.

Department

Education

Publication Date

2011

Journal Title

The Journal of Educational Research

Publisher

Taylor & Francis

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1080/00220671.2010.486082

Document Type

Article

Link to Full Text

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