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NBER Working Papers · September 13, 2026

The Utility of AI Tools in Auditing Adherence to Pre-Analysis Plans -- by Jeffrey Clemens, Anwita Mahajan

EconomicsHigher EducationData Science
THE AI ANGLE
Auditing adherence to pre-analysis plans

Researchers Jeffrey Clemens and Anwita Mahajan demonstrated that large language models can efficiently and systematically audit adherence to pre-analysis plans by identifying design choices, evaluating deviations, and finding gaps in pre-specification. For faculty in economics and data science, this presents a scalable approach to improving research reproducibility and reducing manual labor, though variability across models highlights the continued necessity of human judgment.

THE TEACHING ANGLE
Instructors can explore the pedagogical tension between automating research integrity audits with AI and the ongoing need for human critical judgment due to variability in model outputs.

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