October 2022 Newsletter
📣 New repository of measurement resources for randomized evaluations
Precise and accurate measurement is critical to running rigorous and ethical randomized evaluations. J-PAL’s latest Research Resource provides a repository of measurement and survey design resources to help acquaint social science researchers with measurement challenges, tools, and innovations related to a specific topic or question type. The resource was curated from a wide range of peer-reviewed journal articles, survey guides, and blog posts from social science research organizations, and informed by consultations with experts from J‑PAL and our partners. Read more »
FEATURED POLICY INSIGHT
Improving vaccine delivery and increasing demand for child immunizations
The Covid-19 pandemic fueled the largest backslide in child vaccination coverage in three decades. In a new Policy Insight, J-PAL’s Health sector synthesizes evidence from fourteen randomized evaluations examining interventions to increase immunization coverage. Ensuring vaccines are reliably and locally available and strengthening health worker performance (such as their attendance and efforts to attract patients) were found to improve vaccine delivery. Meanwhile, word-of-mouth and behavioral strategies can increase awareness of and demand for vaccination. Read more »
FEATURED BLOGS
Reducing energy poverty in Europe amid climate change
While research on energy access often focuses on low- and middle-income countries, energy poverty in high-income countries can also be a challenge. Access to affordable and reliable energy is key to adapting to the consequences of climate change, including more erratic weather patterns and extreme temperatures. A new blog post explores the importance of social safety nets for low-income European households that struggle to pay rising energy bills, highlighting the need to generate more evidence and pull in existing research across sectors to identify evidence-informed solutions. Read more »
Online tools to increase researcher visibility
For academic researchers, a strong online presence can be an important tool for building a network—it has the potential to increase a researcher’s credibility and visibility and enhance their reputation as a knowledgeable researcher in an international setting. In a post on the J-PAL blog, Sarah Kopper (Associate Director of Research, J-PAL Global) and Aimee Hare (Policy Manager, J-PAL Africa) explore different strategies, including building academic websites and writing strong CVs, for enhancing an online presence. Read more »
Featured Multimedia
Watch: Expanding access to high-impact tutoring in the US
In the United States, most students do not meet proficiency benchmarks in math or reading in either fourth or eighth grade. A J-PAL North America meta-analysis of 96 randomized evaluations has found that tutoring programs can help improve student learning up to an additional half year of school. In a new video, Phil Oreopoulos (University of Toronto) describes the impact of this meta-analysis, including on the Biden-Harris Administration’s policy stances. Watch now »
EVIDENCE-INFORMED DECISION-MAKING
Working with government partners to improve employment rates in France
Unemployment is a persistent challenge for social policy in France. To help job seekers, the French Public Employment Service, known as Pôle emploi, was created in 2008 with an in-house evaluation committee to ensure that programs are based on rigorous evidence. With support from J-PAL affiliated professors, Pôle emploi has carried out a number of impact evaluations to inform its decision-making and has since broadened its strategy from exclusively focusing on helping job seekers to working with private sector companies on recruitment challenges. Read more »
Featured affiliated professor
Enrique Seira on democracy and corruption in Mexico
This installment of our Affiliate Spotlight series features Enrique Seira (Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México), founder of Qué Funciona para el Desarollo, a development-focused NGO that provides low-cost services to help researchers conduct policy-relevant research in Mexico. Enrique utilizes his research on courts, democracy, corruption, and civic education to help steer policy to be more informed by rigorous evidence. Read more »
WELCOMING OUR NEW AFFILIATED PROFESSORS
In summer 2022, 33 talented researchers joined the J-PAL network. We will feature a few of them here each month.
Daniel Björkegren, Brown University
Pedro Carneiro, University College London
Robyn Meeks, Duke University
FEATURED EVENTS
[October 25] Emerging Challenges in the Environment Landscape in SEA: Addressing Climate Change, Sustainability, and Poverty
J-PAL Southeast Asia (SEA) will host an in-person research-to-policy conference in Jakarta to discuss how policy innovations, data, and evidence can support the important work of building climate resiliency and a sustainable environment in Indonesia. The conference will feature a range of speakers from government agencies, including representatives from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, the Ministry of National Development Planning, and the National Team for the Acceleration of Poverty Reduction, in addition to J-PAL affiliated professors. Learn more and register »
MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS
Reflecting on a year working for gender equality in LAC, J-PAL Blog
An interview with Esther Duflo: To ease the climate crisis, first figure out what works, The New York Times
Give cash to the poor, and they’ll squander it? This Nobel laureate has a different opinion, Channel News Asia
India must improve its standard of care to achieve universal healthcare, The Wire Science
Flexibility for women in Indonesia’s labour market, Asia and The Pacific Policy Society
NEW RESEARCH PAPERS
Credit Building or Credit Crumbling? A Credit Builder Loan’s Effects on Consumer Behavior and Market Efficiency in the United States
Jeremy Burke, Julian Jamison, Dean Karlan, Kata Mihaly, and Jonathan Zinman
Blue Spoons: Sparking Communication About Appropriate Technology Use
Arun G. Chandrasekhar, Esther Duflo, Michael Kremer, João F. Pugliese, Jonathan Robinson, and Frank Schilbach
Can Financial Incentives and Other Nudges Increase Covid-19 Vaccinations among the Vaccine Hesitant? A Randomized Trial
Mireille Jacobson, Tom Y. Chang, Manisha Shah, Rajiv Pramanik, and Samir B. Shah
Can Beneficiary Information Improve Hospital Accountability? Experimental Evidence From A Public Health Insurance Scheme in India
Pascaline Dupas and Radhika Jain