Replication studies in economics—How many and which papers are chosen for replication, and why?
Author: | Mueller-Langer, F., Fecher, B., Harhoff, D., Wagner, G.G. |
Published in: | Research Policy, 48(1), 62-83 |
Year: | 2018 |
Type: | Academic articles |
DOI: | 10.1016/j.respol.2018.07.019 |
We investigate how often replication studies are published in empirical economics and what types of journal articles are replicated. We find that between 1974 and 2014 0.1% of publications in the top 50 economics journals were replication studies. We consider the results of published formal replication studies (whether they are negating or reinforcing) and their extent: Narrow replication studies are typically devoted to mere replication of prior work, while scientific replication studies provide a broader analysis. We find evidence that higher-impact articles and articles by authors from leading institutions are more likely to be replicated, whereas the replication probability is lower for articles that appeared in top 5 economics journals. Our analysis also suggests that mandatory data disclosure policies may have a positive effect on the incidence of replication.
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Connected HIIG researchers
Gert G. Wagner, Dr.
Benedikt Fecher, Dr.
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