[nanis]

As a class project where kids are learning how to use software, clean data, type equations etc, it is acceptable. It is unreasonable to expect them to know better when they are just getting a feel for the tools.

If this is supposed to give insight to people on how to allocate their money, the critiques would have to be much harsher.

[tyrex2017]

i have read papers in the best journals. not better, not more insightful, not deeper, than this one. in fact, they usually would have included only half the models.

the only question i have: such worse performance by nn is strange, it should be similar to logistic regression..

[nanis]

You're missing the point. I did not say trash doesn't get published. And, I did not say this paper is trash. I said this is fine as a term paper in an econometrics class as a vehicle for demonstrating that the students are capable of using various tools. Even in that context, if I were teaching this class, it would merit a B mainly due to the paucity of their references.

In a different context, one could criticize the paper much more harshly, but it is OK as a term paper.