Star Wars: The Empirics Strike Back

A-Tier
Journal: American Economic Journal: Applied Economics
Year: 2016
Volume: 8
Issue: 1
Pages: 1-32

Score contribution per author:

1.005 = (α=2.01 / 4 authors) × 2.0x A-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

Using 50,000 tests published in the AER, JPE, and QJE, we identify a residual in the distribution of tests that cannot be explained solely by journals favoring rejection of the null hypothesis. We observe a two-humped camel shape with missing p-values between 0.25 and 0.10 that can be retrieved just after the 0.05 threshold and represent 10-20 percent of marginally rejected tests. Our interpretation is that researchers inflate the value of just-rejected tests by choosing "significant" specifications. We propose a method to measure this residual and describe how it varies by article and author characteristics. (JEL A11, C13)

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:aea:aejapp:v:8:y:2016:i:1:p:1-32
Journal Field
General
Author Count
4
Added to Database
2026-01-24