Shackling the Identification Police?

Christopher Ruhm

No 25320, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: This paper examines potential tradeoffs between research methods in answering important questions versus providing more cleanly identified estimates on problems that are potentially of lesser interest. The strengths and limitations of experimental and quasi-experimental methods are discussed and it is postulated that confidence in the results obtained may sometimes be overvalued compared to the importance of the topics addressed. The consequences of this are modeled and several suggestions are provided regarding possible steps to encourage greater focus on questions of fundamental importance.

JEL-codes: A11 B4 C50 H0 I0 J0 O1 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018-11
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-ecm
Note: AG CH ED EEE EH LS PE
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

Published as Christopher J. Ruhm, 2019. "Shackling the Identification Police?," Southern Economic Journal, vol 85(4), pages 1016-1026.

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