Using Simulated Data to Make you a Smarter Scientist, with James Yearsley (City University)

This talk will introduce you to some clever things you can do with simulated data that will make you a smarter scientist. Firstly I will talk about using simulated data to pre-test an analysis plan before you collect any data, saving you time and stress later on. Secondly I will talk about using simulated data to understand the role played by questionable research practices in the replication crisis in social science. Finally I will discuss using simulated data to help fit models when you can’t express the likelihood analytically. I will aim to convince you that simulations are an important tool in the arsenal of any social scientist.