Testing analytical models using archival or experimental methods

Analytical models can quite naturally complement empirical data, whether archival or experimental. This article begins by discussing the advantages and disadvantages of combining an analytical model with archival or experimental data in a single study. We next describe how models are typically used in empirical research and discuss when including an analytical model is more versus less useful. Finally, we offer examples of more and less successful combinations of analytical models and empirical data, along with a brief discussion of how such studies are likely to fare in the journal review process.