The role of data/code archives in the future of economic research
This essay examines the role of data and program-code archives in making economic research 'replicable.' Replication of published results is recognized as an essential part of the scientific method. Yet, historically, both the 'demand for' and 'supply of' replicable res...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Published: |
Routledge
2008
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/25924 |
| _version_ | 1848751841112752128 |
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| author | Anderson, R. Greene, William McCullough, B. Vinod, H. |
| author_facet | Anderson, R. Greene, William McCullough, B. Vinod, H. |
| author_sort | Anderson, R. |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | This essay examines the role of data and program-code archives in making economic research 'replicable.' Replication of published results is recognized as an essential part of the scientific method. Yet, historically, both the 'demand for' and 'supply of' replicable results in economics has been minimal. 'Respect for the scientific method' is not sufficient to motivate either economists or editors of professional journals to ensure the replicability of published results. We enumerate the costs and benefits of mandatory data and code archives, and argue that the benefits far exceed the costs. Progress has been made since the gloomy assessment of Dewald, Thursby and Anderson some 20 years ago in the American Economic Review, but much remains to be done before empirical economics ceases to be a 'dismal science' when judged by the replicability of its published results. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T07:59:08Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-25924 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T07:59:08Z |
| publishDate | 2008 |
| publisher | Routledge |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-259242018-03-29T09:08:11Z The role of data/code archives in the future of economic research Anderson, R. Greene, William McCullough, B. Vinod, H. This essay examines the role of data and program-code archives in making economic research 'replicable.' Replication of published results is recognized as an essential part of the scientific method. Yet, historically, both the 'demand for' and 'supply of' replicable results in economics has been minimal. 'Respect for the scientific method' is not sufficient to motivate either economists or editors of professional journals to ensure the replicability of published results. We enumerate the costs and benefits of mandatory data and code archives, and argue that the benefits far exceed the costs. Progress has been made since the gloomy assessment of Dewald, Thursby and Anderson some 20 years ago in the American Economic Review, but much remains to be done before empirical economics ceases to be a 'dismal science' when judged by the replicability of its published results. 2008 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/25924 10.1080/13501780801915574 Routledge restricted |
| spellingShingle | Anderson, R. Greene, William McCullough, B. Vinod, H. The role of data/code archives in the future of economic research |
| title | The role of data/code archives in the future of economic research |
| title_full | The role of data/code archives in the future of economic research |
| title_fullStr | The role of data/code archives in the future of economic research |
| title_full_unstemmed | The role of data/code archives in the future of economic research |
| title_short | The role of data/code archives in the future of economic research |
| title_sort | role of data/code archives in the future of economic research |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/25924 |