September 2018 Newsletter
Learn about J-PAL's new Firms sector, explore research on reducing on increasing school participation by lowering costs, enroll in the MicroMasters in Data, Economics, and Development Policy courses, and more.
J-PAL launches new Firms sector
The new Firms sector represents J-PAL’s commitment to bring rigorous evidence to bear in understanding how to generate private firm growth and how growth affects workers, their families, and the broader economy.
Chaired by David Atkin (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) and Nicholas Bloom (Stanford University), the Firms sector will address a range of issues important to policymakers and practitioners around the world: How can we most effectively address the differences in productivity between firms? Are policies that alleviate constraints faced by small firms more effective than policies aimed at large firms for generating employment and poverty alleviation? Do policies that promote firm employment and productivity lead to increased wages, improved working conditions, and job security for workers? Read more »
Minimizing publication bias at the Journal of Development Economics
Earlier this year, the Journal of Development Economics (JDE) began piloting a “pre-results review” track for academic authors to submit their work for review before there are any empirical results. In a recent interview, JDE Editor in Chief Andrew Foster (Brown University), Co-Editor Dean Karlan (Northwestern University; Chair, J-PAL's Finance sector), and Edward Miguel (University of California, Berkeley) reflected on early insights from the pilot. “We believe pre-results could advance the quality of empirical research in development economics by enabling the publication of strong research regardless of results.” Read more »
Featured Policy Insight
Increasing school participation by lowering costs
Despite dramatic increases in primary school enrollment worldwide, pockets of low enrollment remain and millions of children are not attending regularly. J-PAL recently reviewed 31 randomized evaluations of programs which sought to increase student attendance by reducing costs. Lowering school fees, providing cash transfers and small incentives to parents, reducing child morbidity, and shortening distance to school consistently increased school attendance and enrollment by reducing financial and non-financial costs. Read more »
EVIDENCE-INFORMED DECISION-MAKING
Adopting Teaching at the Right Level in Zambia
Over the last three years, J-PAL Africa, along with Pratham, Innovations for Poverty Action, UNICEF Zambia, VVOB–Education for Development, USAID Zambia, and USAID Development Innovation Ventures, have supported Zambia’s Ministry of General Education to pilot and scale a program called Catch Up, a remedial education program modeled off the Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) approach.
The team adapted TaRL, first developed in India, to better suit the Zambian context using a framework that provides guidance for adapting effective interventions from one context to another with a combination of randomized evaluations, theory, descriptive data, and process monitoring. Read more about their experience »
UPCOMING COURSES
Measuring Health Outcomes in Field Research begins September 25
This free online course explores the fundamentals of field-based health research through immersive documentary-style learning. Participants learn how to measure individual and population health, select health indicators and measurement tools, and design surveys. They also explore practical issues related to safety, hygiene, and ethics. The course is designed for health practitioners, researchers, and others seeking to improve their monitoring and evaluation skills. Enroll now »
MicroMasters in Data, Economics, and Development Policy courses begin September 11
The five online MicroMasters courses in development economics, microeconomics, data analysis, and the design and running of randomized evaluations provide learners with practical skills and theoretical tools to tackle some of the most pressing challenges facing low-income countries and people experiencing poverty. Join our community of learners from more than 180 countries and enroll today »
Media Highlights
Turning an economics education into solutions with impact
MIT News
Your workplace wellness program probably isn’t making you healthier
The Washington Post
‘Dear doctor’ letters use peer pressure, government warning to stop overprescribing
NPR
NEW RESEARCH PAPERS
Saving more in groups: Field experimental evidence from Chile
Felipe Kast, Stephan Meier, Dina Pomeranz
Can iron-fortified salt control anemia? Evidence from two experiments in rural Bihar
Abhijit Banerjee, Sharon Barnhardt, Esther Duflo
Reshaping adolescents’ gender attitudes: Evidence from a school-based experiment in India
Diva Dhar, Tarun Jain, Seema Jayachandran
Financial inclusion and contract terms: Experimental evidence from Mexico
Sara Costellanos, Diego Jiménez Hernández, Aprajit Mahajan, Enrique Seira
FEATURED JOBS
Graphic Designer, J-PAL South Asia (New Delhi, India)
Video Producer, J-PAL South Asia (New Delhi, India)
Senior Policy Associate, J-PAL South Asia (Bihar, India)
TaRL Manager, J-PAL Africa (Nigeria)
Financial Coordinator, J-PAL Global (Cambridge, MA, US)
Senior Manager in Research, Education, and Training, J-PAL Global (Cambridge, MA, US)
Manager in Research, Education, and Training, J-PAL Global (Cambridge, MA, US)
Senior Associate in Research, Education, and Training, J-PAL Global (Cambridge, MA, US)
Research, Education, and Training Associate, J-PAL Global (Cambridge, MA, US)