Too good to be true

Negative side effects

Side effects of interventions are rarely reported in education. An intervention may, for example, lead to better reading scores but students may enjoy reading less as a result and thus read less.

It is important to keep in mind that interventions can cause harms as well as benefits.

BEWARE: People often exaggerate the benefits of interventions and ignore or downplay potential negative effects.

REMEMBER: Always consider the possibility that an intervention may have negative side effects.