[net-gold] Re: Non Randomized and Non Regression Discontinuity Studies on Governance Programs

From: "David P. Dillard" <jwne@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: Temple University Net-Gold Archive <net-gold@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Temple Gold Discussion Group <TEMPLE-GOLD@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Net-Gold <net-gold@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Educator Gold <Educator-Gold@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Educator Gold <Educator-Gold@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, K12AdminLIFE <K12AdminLIFE@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Net-Platinum <net-platinum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, NetGold <netgold@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Net-Gold @ Nabble" <ml-node+3172864-337556105@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, K-12ADMINLIFE <K12ADMIN@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, net-gold@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Mon, 26 Jul 2010 13:21:03 -0400 (EDT)

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Date: Sun, 25 Jul 2010 09:39:03 -0700
From: Richard Hake <rrhake@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Reply-To: Net-Gold@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
To: Net-Gold@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [Net-Gold] Re: Non randomized and non regression discontinuity studies
    on governance programs

Michael Scriven (2010), in his EvalTalk post of 30 June 2010 titled
"Re: Non randomized and non regression discontinuity studies on
governance programs" wrote [my insert at ". . . .[[insert]]. . . ."]:

"I have proposed a general model for causal attribution, that
subsumes RCT as a special case, and the same for regression
discontinuity etc. It's the General Elimination Model . . . . .[[see
e.g.,

Google (2010a)]]. . . . ., an extension of the 'inference to the
best explanation'. . . . .[[see e.g.,
Google (2010b)]]. . . . ., approach in the philosophy of science
literature. . . . . It's briefly covered in "A Summative Evaluation
of RCT Methodology: & An Alternative Approach to Causal Research" in
the online *Journal of MultiDisciplinary Evaluation*
<http://bit.ly/dxFbKh> volume 5, 2008. Comments are welcome,
especially proposed refutations!"

As President of "PEdants for Definitive Academic References which
Recognize the Invention of the Internet (PEDARRII)," I can't resist
supplying:

a. the academic reference for Scriven's (2008) article, online at
<http://bit.ly/93VcWD>. See below under "REFERENCES."

b. the results of Google (2010a,b ) searches for "General
Elimination Model" and "inference to the best explanation." See below
under "REFERENCES."

Richard Hake, Emeritus Professor of Physics, Indiana University
Honorary Member, Curmudgeon Lodge of Deventer, The Netherlands
<rrhake@xxxxxxxxxxxxx >
<http://www.physics.indiana.edu/~hake>
<http://www.physics.indiana.edu/~sdi>
<http://HakesEdStuff.blogspot.com>
<http://iub.academia.edu/RichardHake>

REFERENCES [URL's shortened by <http://bit.ly/>. All URL's accessed
on 13 July 2010.]

Donaldson, S.I., M.Q. Patton, D.M. Fetterman, & M. Scriven. 2010.
"The 2009 Claremont Debates: The Promise and Pitfalls of
Utilization-Focused and Empowerment Evaluation," Journal of
MultiDisciplinary Evaluation 6(13): 15-57; online at
<http://bit.ly/bAgE4N>. On page 32, Scriven comments: "A General
Elimination Methodology (GEM)-based approach beats the so-called gold
standard, and is the commonsense way of establishing causation, which
is, 'Think of all of the possible causes for this, and see if you can
eliminate all but one.' That's what we always do in the forensic
sciences, where we can't possibly use experiments when looking at the
corpse of a victim, or the loss of a plane. We do this without going
to experimental approaches, but of course, doing so uses masses of
evidence in any legitimate use of that term. That's why it stands up
in court. I want to stress the fact that, in my view, the internal
rationale of this fight is included in this elimination process."

Google. 2010a. Results of a search for "General Elimination Model"
(with the quotes) on 10 July 2010 07:05:00-0700; online at
<http://bit.ly/cR1jUi> (8 hits).

Google. 2010b. Results of a search for "inference to the best
explanation" (with the quotes) on 10 July 2010 07:10:00-0700; online
at <http://bit.ly/aNWP9K> (306,000 hits).

Scriven, M. 2008. "A Summative Evaluation of RCT Methodology: & An
Alternative Approach to Causal Research," Journal of
MultiDisciplinary Evaluation 5(9): 11-24; online at
<http://bit.ly/93VcWD>. See also Scriven (2010) and Donaldson et al. (2010).

Scriven. M. 2010. "Rethinking Evaluation Methodology," Journal of
MultiDisciplinary Evaluation 6(13): i-ii; online at
<http://bit.ly/bcfH1L>.

Scriven, M. 2010. "Re: Non randomized and non regression
discontinuity studies on governance programs," EvalTalk post of 30
Jun 2010 18:41:08-0700; online at <http://bit.ly/a7nKbf>.

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[net-gold] Re: Non Randomized and Non Regression Discontinuity Studies on Governance Programs

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