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IPA’s weekly links

Guest post by Jeff Mosenkis of Innovations for Poverty Action.

Our apologies, the links are a bit late, but you’ll never believe what happened this week:

  • So Ted Miguel …. was on NPR’s All Things Considered, talking about why plans to use small solar panels to power Africa isn’t the answer, when most Kenyans already live right under power lines.
  • And in open science/replication news – some researchers at Berkeley shared their data publicly – and another research team beat them to publication. (Follow up from the researchers.)
  • Also, in a respected British source … Survey finds 60% of problems in replications can be solved if research teams would just talk to one another.
  • Seriously, new replications of the classic deworming findings reaffirmed some conclusions, but also called some into question, along with the Cochrane collaboration. Then twitter exploded. Discussion on Chris’ blog as well as GiveWell’s independent analysis both suggest unchanged policy and investment recommendations.
    • Other views from the Guardian, Vox, and Buzzfeed, original authors (PDF), and Berk Ozler. (It’s worth noting when reading general audience reporting on this, how statistical terms like “error” and “bias” with dual meaning can cloud the discussion when repeated). 
  • We’ve reported on the new Chinese-led development bank, there’s now a newer BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) development bank. (Literally, it’s called the New Development Bank).
  • The RISE program is accepting proposals for education research through August 1:

    RISE is a new multi-country research programme that aims to build an understanding of education systems and how they can be transformed to accelerate learning for all.

 

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