Working Paper: NBER ID: w31372
Authors: Abhishek Nagaraj; Matteo Tranchero
Abstract: This study examines the impact of access to confidential administrative data on the rate, direction, and policy relevance of economics research. To study this question, we exploit the progressive geographic expansion of the U.S. Census Bureau’s Federal Statistical Research Data Centers (FSRDCs). FSRDCs boost data diffusion, help empirical researchers publish more articles in top outlets, and increase citation-weighted publications. Besides direct data usage, spillovers to non-adopters also drive this effect. Further, citations to exposed researchers in policy documents increase significantly. Our findings underscore the importance of data access for scientific progress and evidence-based policy formulation.
Keywords: data access; economics research; policy relevance; administrative data
JEL Codes: C81; H00; L86; O33; O38
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| Local access to FSRDC (R53) | Likelihood of citing past work based on census data (C80) |
| Access to administrative data (C81) | Policy impact of economic research (D78) |
| Access to administrative data (C81) | Research quality among senior economists (A14) |
| Access to administrative data (C81) | Reinforcement of existing inequities in research output (I24) |
| Access to FSRDC (C81) | Publications in top-ranked outlets by empirical researchers (A14) |
| Access to FSRDC (C81) | Citation-weighted publications by empirical researchers (A14) |
| Opening of an FSRDC in the same city (R30) | Local usage of census data (C80) |