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News, ideas, and analysis from J-PAL staff and affiliated professors. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive monthly email updates.

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Long-run outcomes: Measuring program effectiveness over time

This blog covers lessons learned from the results of long-run studies thus far, advice for designing studies to measure long-run impacts, and opportunities for researchers to utilize new data sources and technology to build-in long-run tracking and follow-up.
Two envelopes; one with the Minnesota Management and Budget Logo and text "400 Centennial Office Building 658 Cedar Street Saint Paul, Minnesota 55155." The other with the Minnesota Board of Pharmacy Logo and text "Prescription Monit 2828 University Av Minneapolis, MN 5 http://pmp.pharm Supporting Patien. Dr. Prescriber PMP Letter 111 Main St Anvtown. MN 55555"

Building research partnerships to address the opioid crisis in Minnesota, part two

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Mireille Jacobson (University of Southern California), Weston Merrick (Minnesota Management and Budget or MMB), and Adam Sacarny (Columbia University) sit down with J-PAL staff to discuss the results of their randomized evaluation assessing how various letters affected physicians’ use of Minnesota’s...
Speakers sit on a stage

India’s nutrition landscape and the path forward

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Over the last few years, India has made sizable investments in improving child nutrition through government programs like the Poshan Abhiyaan, the Government of India’s flagship scheme to tackle malnutrition in children, and the ongoing work of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), the...
Two individuals at a table, one with a pen and clipboard with paper with text "Resume"

Researching racial equity: Evaluating “Ban the Box” policies

In J-PAL North America’s researching racial equity blog series, we discuss how research plays a critical role in identifying structural inequities in systems and policies that disproportionately affect communities of color. In part one of this series, J-PAL staff interview Amanda Agan to discuss her...
Entrepreneurs exhibiting soft skills in a group meeting.

Soft skills training can improve employment outcomes and bolster entrepreneurship

How can entrepreneurs gain the skills to run a successful business? An emerging body of rigorous research demonstrates the importance of not only training in hard skills, but also soft skills, like communication and self-awareness.
A person types on a laptop with a checklist graphic.

Resources for measuring precise and accurate outcomes in randomized evaluations

The repository is a collection of resources that introduce the measurement issues, tools, and innovations in a specific topic or question type. It is a companion piece to our Introduction to measurement and indicators and Survey design pages, compiling resources that discuss and provide guidance on...
Women wearing colorful clothes carry goods in baskets on their heads in a market in Accra, Ghana.

Gender norms and women's work: Reflecting on current evidence and policy opportunities

While the challenges women face in entering and remaining in the labor market are not new, they have worsened in the wake of the pandemic. One of the barriers to women’s economic empowerment and labor market participation is restrictive gender norms relating to the acceptability of women working...
Children study in a classroom.

Mitigating global learning losses: lessons from the pandemic

Researchers and policymakers in education are still only beginning to measure the significant learning and socio-emotional skill losses that occurred during the global outbreak of the coronavirus. This post outlines some ideas from recent and established rigorous research for governments and schools...