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The rise of quantitative work in economics
The evolution of economic journals from 1940 to 2010 reflects a growing reliance on quantitative methods, driven by the increasing availability of data and the need for research to address complex economic challenges. This study analyses trends in the use of equations, figures, and tables across fiv...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English English |
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School of Economics
2026
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| _version_ | 1869483675868987392 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Makhathini, Sbongakonke Sandisiwe |
| author2 | Georg, Co-Pierre |
| author_browse | Georg, Co-Pierre Makhathini, Sbongakonke Sandisiwe |
| author_facet | Georg, Co-Pierre Makhathini, Sbongakonke Sandisiwe |
| author_sort | Makhathini, Sbongakonke Sandisiwe |
| collection | Thesis |
| description | The evolution of economic journals from 1940 to 2010 reflects a growing reliance on quantitative methods, driven by the increasing availability of data and the need for research to address complex economic challenges. This study analyses trends in the use of equations, figures, and tables across five leading economics journals—American Economic Review, Econometrica, Journal of Political Economy, Quarterly Journal of Economics, and Review of Economic Studies—to investigate the empirical turn in economics. Regression analysis reveals significant increases in the use of quantitative methods over time, with z-scores identifying critical periods of change. These shifts are influenced by editorial mandates, historical economic events, and technological advancements. The findings underscore the methodological transformation of economics and its implications for the discipline's engagement with empirical and policy-relevant questions. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/43405 |
| institution | University of Cape Town (South Africa) |
| language | English eng |
| last_indexed | 2026-07-01T04:02:46.616Z |
| license_str | Not specified — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publishDateRange | 2026 |
| publishDateSort | 2026 |
| publisher | School of Economics |
| publisherStr | School of Economics |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| spelling | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/43405 The rise of quantitative work in economics Makhathini, Sbongakonke Sandisiwe Georg, Co-Pierre economic journals quantitative methods The evolution of economic journals from 1940 to 2010 reflects a growing reliance on quantitative methods, driven by the increasing availability of data and the need for research to address complex economic challenges. This study analyses trends in the use of equations, figures, and tables across five leading economics journals—American Economic Review, Econometrica, Journal of Political Economy, Quarterly Journal of Economics, and Review of Economic Studies—to investigate the empirical turn in economics. Regression analysis reveals significant increases in the use of quantitative methods over time, with z-scores identifying critical periods of change. These shifts are influenced by editorial mandates, historical economic events, and technological advancements. The findings underscore the methodological transformation of economics and its implications for the discipline's engagement with empirical and policy-relevant questions. 2026-06-26T13:15:11Z 2026-06-26T13:15:11Z 2026 2026-06-26T12:40:58Z Thesis / Dissertation Masters MPhil http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43405 en eng application/pdf School of Economics Faculty of Commerce University of Cape Town |
| spellingShingle | economic journals quantitative methods Makhathini, Sbongakonke Sandisiwe The rise of quantitative work in economics |
| thesis_degree_str | Master's |
| title | The rise of quantitative work in economics |
| title_full | The rise of quantitative work in economics |
| title_fullStr | The rise of quantitative work in economics |
| title_full_unstemmed | The rise of quantitative work in economics |
| title_short | The rise of quantitative work in economics |
| title_sort | rise of quantitative work in economics |
| topic | economic journals quantitative methods |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43405 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT makhathinisbongakonkesandisiwe theriseofquantitativeworkineconomics AT makhathinisbongakonkesandisiwe riseofquantitativeworkineconomics |