Treating the Field as a Lab: A Basic Guide to Conducting Economics Experiments for Policymaking offers economists, researchers, and policymakers 19 basic principles for conducting experiments in developing-country contexts. In this Food Security in Practice technical guide, Angelino Viceisza focuses on the class of economics experiments known as lablike field experiments and examines their basic rationale, the details involved in conducting them, and some of the applications of them in the literature. In addition, Viceisza discusses the role of game theory in conducting field experiments and considers some of the typical issues that can arise when drawing inferences and deriving policy implications from experimental work.

Scientific experiments using animals have contributed significantly to the improvement of human health. Animal experiments were crucial to the conquest of polio, for example, and they will undoubtedly be one of the keystones in AIDS research. However, some persons believe that the cost to the animals is often high. Authored by a committee of experts from various fields, this book discusses the benefits that have resulted from animal research, the scope of animal research today, the concerns of advocates of animal welfare, and the prospects for finding alternatives to animal use. The authors conclude with specific recommendations for more consistent government action.