(2019). Replication Studies in Economics — How Many and Which Papers Are Chosen for Replication, and Why? Research Policy, 48 (1), 62-83.
We investigate how often replication studies are published in empirical economics and what types of
journal articles are replicated. We find that between 1974 and 2014 0.1% of publications in the top 50
economics journals were replication studies. We consider the results of published formal replication
studies (whether they are negating or reinforcing) and their extent: Narrow replication studies are
typically devoted to mere replication of prior work, while scientific replication studies provide a
broader analysis. We find evidence that higher-impact articles and articles by authors from leading
institutions are more likely to be replicated, whereas the replication probability is lower for articles that
appeared in top 5 economics journals. Our analysis also suggests that mandatory data disclosure
policies may have a positive effect on the incidence of replication.
