When a new programme or intervention is implemented, we all want to know: “Did it work? ” A seemingly straightforward way to find it out is to compare outcomes before and after. If GPA scores go up, health improves, or incomes rise, many mistakenly assume this is clear proof of impact. But is it? In […]
Did you know that countries with higher rates of internet penetration tend to have longer lifespans? Or that nations with larger militaries often have healthier populations? At first glance, these patterns might seem logical. After all, internet access could improve healthcare access, and a strong military might indicate a stable government. But does this mean
Imagine planning a household survey in a rural village where access to a reliable and comprehensive sampling frame is limited or logistically challenging. OpenStreetMap may be useful in this context but the dataset is often riddled with inconsistencies. In my previous blog, we explored a method to extract households using OSM tags to guide sampling
Have you ever found yourself staring at a blank map, wondering how to select the right households for your research? Field researchers often face this challenge, especially when a reliable sampling frame is scarce. One common workaround is a crude method where enumerators would spin a bottle to determine a walking direction and then select