Coursework essay The essay counts for 40% of the module mark. The essay's length is 1500 words, and it is based on 0 Option 1. Quantitative methods essay: Essay summarising and comparing two academic publications that use modern evaluation methods * that study the same question. * At least one of the articles should use DifferencelnDifferences, Regression Discontinuity, Instrumental Variables, Randomised trials, or Natural Experiments Guidelines for the essay Browse the literature on a topic of your choice using for example Google Scholar, and identify papers based on the main methodology they use. Select two papers that use modern evaluation methods on roughly the same question. It is fine if the two papers use the same method. For example, The effect of education on female fertility using a discontinuity in the data due to administrative changes, using the following two papers: McCrary, Justin, and Heather Royer. 2011. The Effect of Female Education on Fertility and Infant Health: Evidence from School Entry Policies Using Exact Date of Birth. American Economic Review, 101(1): 15895. Monstad, Propper, Salvanes. 2003. Education and Fertility: Evidence from a natural experiment. Scandinavian Journal of Economics, vol 110(4), pp. 821852. Write the essay by comparing the two papers: Describe the methods and results of the papers. Use differences in context and methods to explain why they reach similar or different conclusions. What are the main weaknesses and uncertainties in the papers? What are their most valuable findings? Can you make a judgement on why the other paper might be methodologically better, or more generalisable? Do not make excessive use of graphs and tables. A key to a good essay is the ability to synthesise. Write for a reader who is a policymaker who understands causal inference. Don't write overly technically, avoid overflowing the essay with detail. You can refer to additional papers, but this is not a literature review! If you cite other papers, please add them to the list of references at the end of the essay