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News, ideas, and analysis from J-PAL staff and affiliated professors. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive monthly email updates.

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Lesson #2 | What not-to-do: Wisdom from years of trials (and errors)

In the second part of this series, Shobhini Murkerji dives into her second lesson learned: Don’t trade for short gains—play the long game.
A craft store employee in Cianjur, West Java.

Using alternative data and artificial intelligence to expand financial inclusion: Evidence-based insights

Firms using innovative credit-scoring (ICS) have emerged to help banks and peer-to-peer lenders predict potential borrowers’ likelihood to repay a loan. In contrast to traditional credit scoring models that use credit history, ICS uses artificial intelligence to evaluate data unrelated to a borrower...
Vincent standing next to a presentation screen showing LAHE Network organizations

The LA Homelessness Evaluation Network: Lessons learned from supporting organizations build evidence and evaluation capacity

In this post, J-PAL North America shares lessons learned from homeless service providers who have been participating in our Los Angeles Homelessness Evaluation Network.
Mother and child smiling

Centering parents and parenting in randomized evaluations of cash transfers to families

By
The Baby’s First Years evaluation is a J-PAL-supported study evaluating the impact of poverty alleviation on child development and families. Two researchers involved in Baby’s First Years discuss the importance of centering parents and their experiences to better understand the impact cash payments...
An illustration of a journal page

Lesson #1 | What not-to-do: Wisdom from years of trials (and errors)

In this three-part series, J-PAL South Asia Executive Director Shobhini Mukerji reflects on the lessons learnt from these experiences as she builds her What-Not-Do-List to realise J-PAL’s goal of a poverty-free world.
Women work at a textile factory

J-PAL expands efforts to promote corporate sustainability and social impact partnerships

After 20 years of evidence generation and synthesis delivered in partnership with cross-sector stakeholders, in the next decade, J-PAL is accelerating our work to bring evidence-based strategies to drive corporate sustainability and social impact.
Three people looking at a computer screen

Regression to the mean: What it is and why it matters for impact evaluations

Regression to the mean is a statistical phenomenon where extreme outcomes tend to be followed by more moderate outcomes—closer to the mean. In the field of social policy, this could mean that individuals selected to participate in a program because of an extreme signal will naturally return back...
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A new diverse cohort joins the vibrant graduate network of the J-PAL/UC Diploma in Impact Evaluation

In January, a new diverse class graduated from the Diploma in Impact Evaluation of Public Policies and Social Programs organized by the Instituto de Economía (IE) of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (UC Chile) and J-PAL Latin America and the Caribbean (J-PAL LAC). Forty-one students from...