Resource Library

The BITSS Resource Library contains resources for learning, teaching, and practicing research transparency and reproducibility, including curricula, slide decks, books, guidelines, templates, software, and other tools. All resources are categorized by i) topic, ii) type, and iii) discipline. Filter results by applying criteria along these parameters or use the search bar to find what you’re looking for.

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42 Results

PGRP Onboarding Materials for Collaborative Reproducible Workflows Data Management+

Catalyst Thomas Brailey developed a set of training materials to help transition J-PAL’s Payments and Governance Research Program (PGRP) towards a version-controlled research pipeline by onboarding all research team members to GitHub, GitHub desktop, and R. These teaching materials can be applied to onboard other research/lab teams across a variety of contexts in social science research.
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Social Science Reproduction Platform Economics+

The Social Science Reproduction Platform crowdsources and catalogs attempts to assess and improve the computational reproducibility of social science research. Instructors can use the SSRP in applied social science courses at the graduate or undergraduate levels to teach fundamental concepts, methods, and reproducible research practices. Get started by creating a free account and browsing some of the completed reproductions! Instructors can start by reviewing the guide for instructors, which contains tips and resources for teaching and grading reproductions using the platform.

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A template README for social science replication packages Data Management+

The template README follows best practices as defined by a number of data editors at social science journals. A full list of endorsers is listed in Endorsers. The most recent version is available at https://social-science-data-editors.github.io/template_README/. Specific releases can be found at https://github.com/social-science-data-editors/template_README/releases. The template README is available in a variety of formats, including HTML (best for reading), LaTeX, Word, PDF, and Markdown.

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Development Research in Practice : The DIME Analytics Data Handbook Data Management+

“Development Research in Practice” leads the reader through a complete empirical research project, providing links to continuously updated resources on the DIME Wiki as well as illustrative examples from the Demand for Safe Spaces study. The handbook is intended to train users of development data on how to handle data effectively, efficiently, and ethically. See an accompanying online course here.

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Analysis Plans in Economics EconomicsPre-Analysis Plans

Find slides from a presentation by Benjamin Olken titled “Analysis Plans in Economics”.

Data Citations module Data Management+

Created by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, this module introduces students to the key elements of data citations. See also related modules for Data Literacy.

Handbook on Using Administrative Data for Research and Evidence-Based Policy Data Management+

Co-edited by Shawn Cole, Iqbal Dhaliwal, Anja Sautmann, and Lars Vilhuber and published by J-PAL’s Innovations in Data and Experiments for Action Initiative (IDEA), this handbook includes case studies of large-scale randomized evaluations using private and national government administrative data, and technical guidance to support partnerships with governments, nonprofits, or firms to access data and pursue cutting-edge, policy-relevant projects.

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Comparison of multiple hypothesis testing commands in Stata Economics+

In this post on the Development Impact blog, David McKenzie (World Bank) compares various Stata packages used for multiple hypothesis testing adjustments and discusses settings where each package is best applied.

Data for Development Impact (Resource Guide) Data Management+

“Data for Development Impact: The DIME Analytics Resource Guide” is intended to serve as an introduction to the primary tasks required in development research, from experimental design to data collection to data analysis to publication. It serves as a companion to the DIME Wiki and is produced by DIME Analytics.

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Open Science Module for Behavioral Science graduate course Economics+

Instructors Kelly Zhang (MIT GOV/LAB) and Chaning Jang (Busara) integrated a module on research transparency and the use of pre-analysis plans as part of the Behavioral Science in the Field course designed for graduate students who use behavioral science games as part of their research.

J-PAL Guide to De-Identifying Data Data Management+

Developed by J-PAL’s Sarah Kooper, Anja Sautmann, and James Turrito, this guide includes:

  • An overview of personally identifiable information (PII) and the responsibility of data users not to use data to try to identify human subjects
  • Recommendations for handling direct identifiers (such as full name, social security number, or phone number), as well as indirect identifiers (such as month/year of birth, nationality, or gender)
  • Guidance on de-identification steps to take throughout the research process, such as encrypting all data containing identifying information as soon as possible
  • A list of common identifiers, including those labeled by the United States’ Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) guidelines as direct identifiers
  • And more.

See also the accompanying Guide to Publishing Research Data.

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J-PAL Guide to Publishing Research Data Data Management+

Developed by J-PAL’s Sarah Kooper, Anja Sautmann, and James Turrito, this guide includes:

  • A list of considerations to make before publishing data, such as what information was provided to study participants and the IRB, the sensitivity of the data collected, and legal requirements
  • Sample consent form language that will allow future publication of de-identified data
  • A checklist for preparing data for publication
  • And more.

See also the accompanying Guide to De-identifying Data.

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BITSS Registered Reports Literature Review Economics+

Prepared by BITSS, this literature review includes information on the distinguishing features and advantages of registered reports, as well as challenges involved in its implementation.

Observational PAP Guide Economics and Finance+

In her preprint titled “Improving transparency in observational social science research: A pre-analysis plan approach”, Fiona Burlig (University of Chicago) presents three scenarios in which study preregistration and pre-analysis plans (PAPs) can be credibly applied in non-experimental settings: cases where researchers collect their own data; prospective studies; and research using restricted-access data. The preprint also includes suggested contents for observational PAPs, and highlights where observational PAPs should deviate from those designed for experimental research.

This work was also published in the journal Economics Letters.

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Registry for International Development Impact Evaluations (RIDIE) Economics and Finance+

Administered by the International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie), the Registry for International Development Impact Evaluations (RIDIE) is a registry of impact evaluations related to development in low and middle income countries. RIDIE will register any development impact evaluation that rigorously attempts to estimate the causal impacts of a program, including but not limited to randomized control trials. It is intended to be a prospective registry in which researchers and evaluators can record information about their evaluation designs before conducting the analysis, as well as update information as the study proceeds and post findings upon study completion.

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Stage 1 Registered Report Submission Template Economics and Finance+

BITSS prepared a template to assist authors in the preparation of their Stage 1 Proposal submissions to the Journal of Development Economics. The template expands on features that are commonly reported in pre-analysis plans in development economics, and includes a checklist to help authors record different parts of the research design.

Transparency Training Module for Undergraduate Experimental Economics Dynamic Documents and Coding Practices+

These materials were used in the final weeks of an undergraduate course experimental economics at Wesleyan University taught by Professor Jeffrey Naecker.

These materials were developed as part of a BITSS Catalyst Training Project “Incorporating Reproducibility and Transparency in an Undergraduate Economics Course” led by Catalyst Jeffrey Naecker.

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Registered Reports at the Journal of Development Economics Economics and Finance+

As part of a pilot project, the Journal of Development Economics (JDE) now offers authors the opportunity to submit empirical research designs for review and approval before the results of the study are known. The pre-results review track is designed to award well-designed and well-executed studies regardless of whether their empirical results yield clear interpretations.

Learn more about the pilot in this blog post by JDE Editors Andrew Foster and Dean Karlan, and BITSS Faculty Director Edward Miguel.

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Course Syllabi for Open and Reproducible Methods Anthropology, Archaeology, and Ethnography+

A collection of course syllabi from any discipline featuring content to examine or improve open and reproducible research practices. Housed on the OSF.

AEA Registry for RCTs Economics and Finance+

The American Economic Association (AEA) Randomized Controlled Trials Registry is a registry for RCTs conducted in the social sciences. Registration is free and you do not need to be a member of the AEA to register. We encourage you to register any new study before data collection.

Improving the Credibility of Social Science Research: A Practical Guide for Researchers Data Management+

Created by the Policy Design and Evaluation Lab (PDEL) at UCSD, this teaching module was developed to demonstrate the credibility crisis in the social sciences caused by a variety of incentives and practices at both the disciplinary and individual levels, and provide practical steps for researchers to improve the credibility of their work throughout the lifecycle of a project. It is intended for use in graduate-level social science methodology courses—including those in political science, economics, sociology, and psychology—at UCSD and beyond.
These materials were developed as part of a BITSS Catalyst Training Project “Creating Pedagogical Materials to Enhance Research Transparency at UCSD” led by Catalysts Scott Desposato and Craig McIntosh along with Julia Clark, PhD candidate at UCSD.
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Impact Evaluation in Practice Data Management+

The second edition of the Impact Evaluation in Practice handbook is a comprehensive and accessible introduction to impact evaluation for policymakers and development practitioners. First published in 2011, it has been used widely across the development and academic communities. The book incorporates real-world examples to present practical guidelines for designing and implementing impact evaluations. Readers will gain an understanding of impact evaluation and the best ways to use impact evaluations to design evidence-based policies and programs. The updated version covers the newest techniques for evaluating programs and includes state-of-the-art implementation advice, as well as an expanded set of examples and case studies that draw on recent development challenges. It also includes new material on research ethics and partnerships to conduct impact evaluation.

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DeclareDesign Dynamic Documents and Coding Practices+

DeclareDesign is statistical software to aid researchers in characterizing and diagnosing research designs — including experiments, quasi-experiments, and observational studies. DeclareDesign consists of a core package, as well as three companion packages that stand on their own but can also be used to complement the core package: randomizr: Easy-to-use tools for common forms of random assignment and sampling; fabricatr: Tools for fabricating data to enable frontloading analysis decisions in social science research; estimatr: Fast estimators for social science research.

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DMAS Economics and Finance+

The Distributed Meta-Analysis System is an online tool to help scientists analyze, explore, combine, and communicate results from existing empirical studies. It’s primary purpose it to support meta-analyses, by providing a database for empirically estimated models and methods to integrate their results. The current version supports a range of tools that are useful for analyzing empirical climate impact results, but it’s creators intend to expand its applicability to other fields including social sciences, medicine, ecology, and geophysics.

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pcpanel Economics and Finance+

This package performs power calculations for randomized experiments that use panel data. Unlike the existing programs “sampsi” and “power”, this package accommodates arbitrary serial correlation. The program “pc_simulate” performs simulation-based power calculations using a pre-existing dataset (stored in memory), and accommodates cross-sectional, multi-wave panel, difference-in-differences, and ANCOVA designs. The program “pc_dd_analytic” performs analytical power calculations for a difference-in-differences experimental design, applying the formula derived in Burlig, Preonas, and Woerman (2017) that is robust to serial correlation. Users may either input parameters to characterize the assumed variance-covariance structure of the outcome variable, or allow the subprogram “pc_dd_covar” to estimate the variance-covariance structure from pre-existing data.

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Handbook of the Modern Development Specialist Data Management+

Created by the Responsible Data Forum, this handbook is offered as a first attempt to understand what responsible data means in the context of international development programming. The authors have taken a broad view of development, opting not to be prescriptive about who the perfect “target audience” for this effort is within the space. This book builds on a number of resources and strategies developed in academia, human rights and advocacy, but aims to focus on international development practitioners. The handbook includes chapters on project design, data management, collection, analysis, sharing, and more.

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re3data.org Data Repositories+

The Registry of Research Data Repositories (re3data.org) is a global registry of research data repositories that covers research data repositories from different academic disciplines. It presents repositories for the permanent storage and access of data sets to researchers, funding bodies, publishers and scholarly institutions. re3data.org promotes a culture of sharing, increased access and better visibility of research data. The registry went live in autumn 2012 and is funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG).

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AidGrade Economics and Finance+

AidGrade conducts open, real-time meta-analyses of impact evaluations on economic development programs. They collect results from impact evaluations and transparently synthesize them, building a database anyone can use.

Replication Network Economics and Finance+

The Replication Network is a group of economists dedicated to promoting the practice of replication in the field of economics.

Replication Wiki Economics and Finance+

ReplicationWiki is a wiki-based service which lists and provides links to replications of empirical studies in economics, studies which have yet to be replicated, and material to assist with replication.

Impact Evaluation Replication Programme Economics and Finance+

International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie) Replication Grant funds replications. Funding requests are reviewed on a rolling basis. High quality applicants are invited to submit full proposals.

EGAP Registry Economics and Finance+

The Evidence in Governance and Politics (EGAP) Registry focuses on designs for experiments and observational studies in governance and politics. The registry allows users to submit an array of information via an online form. Registered studies can be viewed in the form of a pdf on the EGAP site. The EGAP registry is straightforward and emphasizes simplicity for registering impact evaluations.

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Promise and Perils of Pre-Analysis Plans Economics and Finance+

Promise and Perils of Pre-analysis Plans, by Ben Olken lays out many of the items to include in a pre-analysis plan, as well as their history, the benefits, and a few potential drawbacks. Pre-analysis plans can be especially useful in reaching agreement about what will be measured and how when a partner or funder has a vested interest in the outcome of a study.

Reshaping Institutions Economics and Finance+

Reshaping Institutions is a paper by Katherine Casey, Rachel Glennerster, and Edward Miguel that uses a pre-analysis plan to analyze the effects of a community driven development program in Sierra Leone. They discuss the contents and benefits of a PAP in detail, and include a “cherry-picking” table that shows the wide flexibility of analysis that is possible without pre-specification. The PAP itself is included in Appendix A in the supplementary materials, available at the link above.

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Pre-Analysis Plan Template Economics and Finance+

Pre-analysis Plan Template, by Alejandro Ganimian, is useful for instructors when teaching transparency methods, and for researchers themselves when developing their own pre-analysis plan.

Find a .doc version of this template here. Find a .tex version here.

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Pre-Analysis Plan Checklist Economics and Finance+

Pre-analysis Plan Checklist, by David McKenzie, Lead Economist at the World Bank Development Research Group.