Methods for Policy Research
What are the best methods for determining if programs, policies, or practices are effective? How do we integrate qualitative and quantitative data to deepen our understanding of social issues? This research area is rooted in the work of the Statistics for Evidence-Based Policy and Practice (STEPP) Center, which serves practitioners and policymakers by developing and promoting state-of-the-art research methods in the applied social sciences. Faculty in this area develop methods for generating strong evidence, synthesizing the results of multiple studies, and translating findings to inform policy and practice.
A Message From Larry Hedges and Elizabeth Tipton, Co-Program Chairs and STEPP Co-Directors
Working Papers
Recently published articles and working papers in this program area include:
Jeff Dominitz and Charles F. Manski. 2024. Accounting for Nonresponse in Election Polls: Total Margin of Error (WP-24-22).
Tommaso Crosta, Dean Karlan, Finley Ong, Julius Rüschenpöhler, and Christopher Udry. 2024. Unconditional Cash Transfers: A Bayesian Meta-Analysis of Randomized Evaluations in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (WP-24-21).
Jeff Dominitz and Charles F. Manski. 2024. Comprehensive OOS Evaluation of Predictive Algorithms with Statistical Decision Theory (WP-24-10).
Faculty Experts
This collaborative group of interdisciplinary scholars stems from statistics, economics, education, political science, and other social science fields.
Events
Quantifying Racial Disparities in Media Representations of Gun Violence
Rob Voigt, Assistant Professor of Linguistics and of Computer Science (by courtesy) and IPR Fellow