https://www.rba.gov.au/publications/rdp/index.html Research Discussion Papers contain the results of economic research within the Reserve Bank. They are issued throughout the year, with summaries periodically reproduced in the Bulletin. The views expressed in them are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Reserve Bank of Australia. 2021-02-11T11:30:00+11:00 Reserve Bank of Australia en https://www.rba.gov.au/publications/rdp/2021/2021-02.html We investigate the credibility of central bank research by searching for traces of researcher bias, which is a tendency to use undisclosed analytical procedures that raise measured levels of statistical significance (stars) in artificial ways. To conduct our search, we compile a new dataset and borrow 2 bias-detection methods from the literature: the p-curve and z-curve. The results are mixed. The p-curve shows no traces of researcher bias but has a high propensity to produce false negatives. The z-curve shows some traces of researcher bias but requires strong assumptions. We examine those assumptions and challenge their merit. At this point, all that is clear is that central banks produce results with patterns different from those in top economic journals, there being less bunching around the 5 per cent threshold of statistical significance. 2021-02-11T11:30:00+11:00 Star Wars at Central Banks 2021-02-11 researcher bias central banks Star Wars at Central Banks https://www.rba.gov.au/publications/rdp/2021/2021-02.html PDF version Adam Gorajek Adam Gorajek Joel Bank Joel Bank Andrew Staib Andrew Staib Benjamin Malin Benjamin Malin Hamish Fitchett Hamish Fitchett February 2021 Reserve Bank of Australia Research Discussion Papers RDP 2021-02 A11 C13 E58