Selected Publications (Google Scholar)
Shen, Z., Li, W., & Leite, W. (in press). Statistical power and optimal design for randomized controlled trials investigating mediation effects. Psychological Methods. https://doi.org/10.1037/met0000698
Shen, Z., Curran, C., Fleming, K., Splett, J., Poekert, P., & Bratsch-Hines, M. (in press). Science outcome design parameters for cluster-randomized trials involving teachers. Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness. https://doi.org/10.1080/19345747.2024.2417283
Shen, Z., Leite, W., Zhang, H., Quan, J., & Kuang, H. (2025). Using ant colony optimization to identify optimal sample allocations in cluster-randomized trials. The Journal of Experimental Education, 93(1), 167-185. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220973.2024.2306392
Shen, Z., Curran, C., You, Y., Splett, J., & Zhang, H. (2023). Intraclass correlations for evaluating the effects of teacher empowerment programs on student educational outcomes. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 45(1), 134-156. https://doi.org/10.3102/01623737221111400
Shen, Z., & Kelcey, B. (2022). Optimal sample allocation for three-level multisite cluster-randomized trials. Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, 15(1), 130-150. https://doi.org/10.1080/19345747.2021.1953200
Shen, Z., & Kelcey, B. (2022). Optimal sample allocation in multisite randomized trials. The Journal of Experimental Education, 90(3), 693-711. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220973.2020.1830361
Shen, Z., & Kelcey, B. (2020). Optimal sample allocation under unequal costs in cluster-randomized trials. Journal of Educational and Behavioral Statistics, 45(4), 446–474. https://doi.org/10.3102/1076998620912418
Kelcey, B., & Shen, Z. (2020). Strategies for efficient experimental design in studies probing 2-1-1 mediation. The Journal of Experimental Education, 88(2), 311–334. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220973.2018.1533796
Selected Presentations/Workshops
Shen, Z. & Kelcey, B. (2027, January 7–10). Statistical power and optimal design for educational experiments [Workshop]. Hawaii International Conference on Education, Honolulu, HI, United States.
Shen, Z. (2027, January 7–10). Evaluating the performance of large language models in experimental design [Paper presentation]. Hawaii International Conference on Education, Honolulu, HI, United States.
Shen, Z. (2026, September 23–26). Evaluating the performance of large language models for designing educational experiments [Roundtable presentation]. SREE Researchers of Color Research-in-Progress: Emerging Scholarship in Educational Effectiveness Roundtable at the Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness (SREE) Conference, Baltimore, MD, United States.