WWC Group Design Training, Module 10, Part 1: Effect Size Computation Introduction

Module 10 discusses how the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) computes effect sizes and their standard errors. This module also describes how the WWC uses effect sizes to report study findings and provides guidance on the information needed to compute effect sizes in different scenarios. Chapter 1 reintroduces effect sizes and describes the general approach the WWC takes for effect size and standard error estimation in group design studies.

The WWC is an investment of the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) within the U.S. Department of Education and was established in 2002. The work of the WWC is managed by a team of staff at IES and conducted under a set of contracts held by several leading firms with expertise in education, research methodology, and the dissemination of education research. For more than a decade, the WWC has been a central and trusted source of scientific evidence on education programs, products, practices, and policies. We review the research, determine which studies meet rigorous standards, and summarize the findings. We focus on high-quality research to answer the question, “What works in education?”