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Randomised Controlled Trials, Evidence Hierarchies and Smarter Choices

Melia, Steve

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Authors

Steven Melia Steve.Melia@uwe.ac.uk
Senior Lecturer in Transport Planning



Abstract

A growing body of literature aimed at policymakers as well as researchers criticises the quality of much transport research and advocates a methodological hierarchy with randomised controlled trials at the top as the solution. This article critically analyses the justification for such hierarchies, in the context of voluntary travel behaviour change programmes, whose effectiveness has been called into question. It proposes 5 criteria for the valid application of experimental methods, which suggest that such methods are only relevant to a limited range of transport research questions. It finds no valid justification for a methodological hierarchy and concludes that attempting to apply such a hierarchy would generate misleading advice for policy makers.

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date Apr 1, 2015
Publicly Available Date Jun 6, 2019
Journal World Transport Policy & Practice
Print ISSN 1352-7614
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 21
Issue 2
Pages 64-71
Keywords Randomised controlled trials; Voluntary travel behaviour change; Smarter choices; Modal shift; Methodological hierarchies.
Public URL https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/836144
Publisher URL http://worldtransportjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/30th-April-opt.pdf
Related Public URLs http://worldtransportjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/30th-April-opt.pdf

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Randomised Controlled Trials, Evidence Hierarchies and Smarter Choices - as published.pdf (235 Kb)
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