AER Robustness

Overview

A modern AER referee report contains three predictable demands:

1. Robustness — does the result survive specification changes?
2. Heterogeneity — where does the effect concentrate, and is that consistent with the proposed channel?
3. Mechanism — why does X cause Y?

This skill anticipates all three so that the referee finds the answer already in the paper. Skipping this step turns a referee report into a 6-month delay.

When to Use

• The main result table exists but the rest of the empirical section is thin
• An R&R demands "additional checks" without specifying which
• Drafting the appendix before submission
• Diagnosing why a prior submission drew a "needs more robustness" rejection