Reading Report – Marie and Zolitz (2017)

Reading Report 8
Please read the paper Marie and Zolitz (2017) and answer the following questions. Your answers should be concise and organized in bullet points, and explained in your own words that are understandable to someone who has not read the article. Please type up your answers, print out the report, and bring it to class. Preferred length is within 1 page, single spaced.

1. If a researcher directly estimates the effect of marijuana use on academic performances using individual level survey data (i.e. using information on individuals’ marijuana use and academic outcomes), would the estimated relationship reflect causal effect? What may be a confounding factor? List at least one and briefly explain.

2. Does the approach used in this paper do a good job in identifying the causal effect of marijuana use on academic performance? Why or why not?

3. What confounding factors have the authors considered and how do they address them? List at least two and briefly explain.

4. Search for another Economics academic paper examining the effect of marijuana on an outcome of your interest, and briefly discuss the method and conclusion.