Three Essays in Applied Econometrics

Abstract

Three Essays in Applied Econometrics Collin Dean Hodges The body of work presented here consists of a collection of research projects developed during my time as a graduate student at West Virginia University. As will soon become apparent, this collection of research topics is quite eclectic. This is, in part, due to the to the nature of the research First and foremost, thank you to the members of my dissertation committee, Heather Stephens, Joshua Hall, Daniel Grossman and Xiaoli Etienne for their research feedback and guidance navigating the academic job market. The pay was zero and the work non-zero, but for your willingness to serve as members of my committee, I will remain always grateful. Heather, thank you for your assistance in obtaining what, at times, seemed to be impossible to obtain datasets and for always being generous with your time. To Josh, thank you for your frequent guidance, the numerous opportunities to gain valuable academic experiences, and your support throughout my graduate career. There is no question that I would not be here today without your support. To Dan, thank you for the part you played in introducing me to the field of health economics. I consider myself very fortunate to have been a part of the initial offering of these fascinating field courses at West Virginia University. To Xiaoli, thank you for your constructive comments and feedback, as well as for setting the bar high with regard to article reading. I have not quite reached your level of one article a day. I would also like to thank my undergraduate professors, Pete Calcagno, Malavika Nair and Doug Walker, for their initial suggestion that I look further into this whole "graduate school" thing. Your amazing classes at the College of Charleston are why I am where I am today. Pete, thank you for your friendship, guidance, the great work you continue to do with the Center for Public Choice and Market Process and the numerous opportunities you provide for undergraduate students to engage with economics ideas outside of the classroom. To Mal, thank you for being the first to encourage me to pursue a graduate degree. It was certainly something that, at the time, seemed well beyond my reach. To Doug, thank you for your friendship and advice over the years. I look forward to catching up with you and Pete in Charleston very soon. I also must, of course, thank my occasional office-mates and friends, Elham Erfanian and Caleb Stair. Elham, I am exceedingly grateful that you possess a healthy and, apparently, inexhaustible sense of humor. Thank you for sharing your eternal optimism with me and for always having a