Thursday, April 13, 2006

Academic alphabetic tyranny

Academic alphabetic tyranny

Faculty members in top departments with surnames beginning with letters earlier in the alphabet are substantially more likely to be tenured, be fellows of the Econometrics Society, and even win Nobel prizes (let's see, Arrow, Buchanan Coase...hmmm). No such effects are found in psychology where the alphabetical norm is not followed.


Bummer for authors named Smith. I agree. Name randomization would be best.

No comments:

Search This Blog