The influence of hidden researcher decisions in applied microeconomics

Researchers make hundreds of decisions about data collection, preparation, and analysis in their research. We use a many‐analysts approach to measure the extent and impact of these decisions. Two published causal empirical results are replicated by seven replicators each. We find large differences i...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Huntington-Klein, Nick, Arenas Jal, Andreu, Beam, Emily, Bertoni, Marco, Bloem, Jeffrey, Burli, Pralhad H, Chen, Naibin, Grieco, Paul LE, Ekpe, Godwin, Pugatch, Todd, Saavedra, Martin Hugo, Stopnitzky, Yaniv
Format: article
Status:Versión aceptada para publicación
Publication Date:2021
Country:España
Institution:Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya)
Repository:Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya
OAI Identifier:oai:recercat.cat:2445/182481
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/2445/182481
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Investigadors
Microeconomia
Matemàtica aplicada
Presa de decisions (Estadística)
Research workers
Microeconomics
Applied mathematics
Statistical decision
Description
Summary:Researchers make hundreds of decisions about data collection, preparation, and analysis in their research. We use a many‐analysts approach to measure the extent and impact of these decisions. Two published causal empirical results are replicated by seven replicators each. We find large differences in data preparation and analysis decisions, many of which would not likely be reported in a publication. No two replicators reported the same sample size. Statistical significance varied across replications, and for one of the studies the effect's sign varied as well. The standard deviation of estimates across replications was 3-4 times the mean reported standard error.