Replicability is at the core of the scientific enterprise. In the past 30 years,
recurring concerns about the extent of replicability (or lack thereof) of the research in various disciplines have surfaced, including in economics.
In this talk, I describe the context in which the current discussion in the
social science is occurring: what are the definitions of replicability and
reproducibility, what is failing, and to what extent. I discuss progess over the past 15 years.
Finally, I discuss the concrete measures that have been implemented under
my guidance at the American Economic Association, and the first preliminary outcomes
from those measures. I conclude with some observations on how to integrate reproducibility
into the scientific workflow in the social and statistical sciences.
The solutions to these problems will change the way research will be taught
and conducted, in economics in particular, and in the social sciences more
broadly. The implications affect undergraduate and graduate teaching, research
infrastructure, and habits.