Open Science.

Meta Analyses

Causal Panel Analysis under Parallel Trends

We conduct a meta-analysis of causal panel analyses under parallel trends using two-way fixed effects (TWFE) models published in three top journals in Political Science (APSR, AJPS, JOP) from 2017 to 2023 (Paper). Using data from 49 studies, we find:

  • Modern DID estimators, which are designed to be robust to heterogeneous treatment effects (HTE), yield qualitatively similar but highly variable results to TWFE estimates.
  • While a few studies show clear signs of parallel trends (PT) violations, many lack evidence to support this assumption.
  • Many studies are underpowered when accounting for HTE and potential PT violations.

Here, we present replication results for each paper we reanalyzed.

Instrumental Variable Designs in Political Science

We conduct a meta-analysis of instrumental variable (IV) designs published in three top journals in Political Science (APSR, AJPS, JOP) from 2010 to 2022 (Paper). Using data from 67 studies, we identify several concerning patterns:

  • Researchers often overestimate the strength of their instruments due to non-i.i.d. error structures such as clustering.
  • 2SLS estimates are often highly uncertain; commonly used t-test frequently underestimate uncertainties.
  • 2SLS estimates are much larger in magnitude than OLS estimates in many observational studies and their ratio is inversely related to the strength of the instrument, suggesting violations of unconfoundedness or the exclusion restriction in these IV designs.

Here, we present replication results for each paper we reanalyzed.

Conditional Marginal Effects in Political Science

We conduct a meta-analysis of conditional marginal effects (CME) estimations and visualizations published in five top Political Science journals (APSR, AJPS, JOP, CPS, IO) from 2006 to 2014 (Paper) (Book).

Using data from 22 studies with 46 CME plots, we find that a large proportion of the analyses violate common support and linear interaction effect assumptions.

Here, we present replication results for each paper we reanalyzed. (RMarkdown to Be Linked)

Empirical Studies

Legality & Legitimacy

This RMarkdown file, with R code and results embedded, replicates the main analyses in Fu, Xu and Zhang (2024): “Does Legality Produce Political Legitimacy? An Experimental Approach.”

Credit: Jinwen Wu

Revisiting LaLonde (1986)

This Quarto Book tutorial, with R code and results embedded, replicates the main analyses in Imbens & Xu (2024): “LaLonde (1986) after Nearly Four Decades: Lessons Learned.”

Credit: Zihan Xie & Jinwen Wu

Decentralized Propaganda

This RMarkdown file, with R code and results embedded, replicates the main analyses in Lu, Pan, Xu and Xu (2025): “Decentralized Propaganda in the Era of Digital Media: The Massive Presence of the Chinese State on Douyin.”

Credit: Jinwen Wu

Disguised Repression

This RMarkdown file, with R code and results embedded, replicates the main analyses in Pan, Xu and Xu (2024): “Disguised Repression: Targeting Opponents with Non-Political Crimes to Undermine Dissent.”

Credit: Jinwen Wu

Victimization Narrative

This RMarkdown file, with R code and results embedded, replicates the main analyses in Xu and Zhao (2023): “The Power of History: How A Victimization Narrative Shapes National Identity and Public Opinion in China.”

Credit: Jinwen Wu

Propaganda through Framing

This RMarkdown file, with R code and results embedded, replicates the main analyses in Pan, Shao and Xu (2022): “How Government-Controlled Media Shifts Policy Attitudes through Framing.”

Credit: Jinwen Wu

China’s Ideological Spectrum

This RMarkdown file, with R code and results embedded, replicates the main analyses in Pan & Xu (2018): “China’s Ideological Spectrum.”

Credit: Jinwen Wu

Authoritarian Responsiveness

This RMarkdown file, with R code and results embedded, replicates the main analyses in Chen, Pan and Xu (2016): “Sources of Authoritarian Responsiveness: A Field Experiment in China.”

Credit: Jinwen Wu

Clans and Public Goods

This RMarkdown file, with R code and results embedded, replicates the main analyses in Xu and Yao (2015): “Informal Institutions, Collective Action, and Public Investment in Rural China.”

Credit: Jinwen Wu

Legality & Legitimacy

This RMarkdown file, with R code and results embedded, replicates the main analyses in Fu, Xu and Zhang (2024): “Does Legality Produce Political Legitimacy? An Experimental Approach.”

Credit: Jinwen Wu

Disguised Repression

This RMarkdown file, with R code and results embedded, replicates the main analyses in Pan, Xu and Xu (2024): “Disguised Repression: Targeting Opponents with Non-Political Crimes to Undermine Dissent.”

Credit: Jinwen Wu

Victimization Narrative

This RMarkdown file, with R code and results embedded, replicates the main analyses in Xu and Zhao (2023): “The Power of History: How A Victimization Narrative Shapes National Identity and Public Opinion in China.”

Credit: Jinwen Wu

Propaganda through Framing

This RMarkdown file, with R code and results embedded, replicates the main analyses in Pan, Shao and Xu (2022): “How Government-Controlled Media Shifts Policy Attitudes through Framing.”

Credit: Jinwen Wu

Authoritarian Responsiveness

This RMarkdown file, with R code and results embedded, replicates the main analyses in Chen, Pan and Xu (2016): “Sources of Authoritarian Responsiveness: A Field Experiment in China.”

Credit: Jinwen Wu

Revisiting LaLonde (1986)

This Quarto Book tutorial, with R code and results embedded, replicates the main analyses in Imbens & Xu (2024): “LaLonde (1986) after Nearly Four Decades: Lessons Learned.”

Credit: Zihan Xie & Jinwen Wu

Decentralized Propaganda

This RMarkdown file, with R code and results embedded, replicates the main analyses in Lu, Pan, Xu and Xu (2025): “Decentralized Propaganda in the Era of Digital Media: The Massive Presence of the Chinese State on Douyin.”

Credit: Jinwen Wu

Disguised Repression

This RMarkdown file, with R code and results embedded, replicates the main analyses in Pan, Xu and Xu (2024): “Disguised Repression: Targeting Opponents with Non-Political Crimes to Undermine Dissent.”

Credit: Jinwen Wu

China’s Ideological Spectrum

This RMarkdown file, with R code and results embedded, replicates the main analyses in Pan & Xu (2018): “China’s Ideological Spectrum.”

Credit: Jinwen Wu

Clans and Public Goods

This RMarkdown file, with R code and results embedded, replicates the main analyses in Xu and Yao (2015): “Informal Institutions, Collective Action, and Public Investment in Rural China.”

Credit: Jinwen Wu