Empirical Innovations in Policy Analysis

Abstract

In this article we survey the field of policy analysis from two perspectives. First, we discuss recent arguments made for and against the use of random assignment in social experimentation and policy analysis. Second, we argue that data, not methods, are driving policy analysis innovation. We review the benefits and drawbacks of three types of data—administrative data, spatial data, and Big Data—and discuss the role, or potential role, each plays in extant policy analysis. We end with a comment on what we believe are the future directions and areas of growth for the field of policy analysis in coming years.