Control variables are included in regression analyses to estimate the causal effect of a treatment variable of interest on an outcome. In this note we argue that  control variables are unlikely to have a causal interpretation themselves though. We therefore suggest to refrain from discussing their marginal effects in the results sections of empirical research papers.
Control variables are included in regression analyses to estimate the causal effect of a treatment on an outcome. In this note we argue that the estimated effect sizes of control variables are unlikely to have a causal interpretation themselves though. We therefore recommend to refrain from reporting marginal effects of controls in regression tables and instead to focus exclusively on the variables of interest in the results sections of empirical research papers.
D
variable of interest
A
the estimated effect sizes of
R
suggest
recommend
R
discussing their marginal effects
reporting marginal effects of controls in regression tables and instead to focus exclusively on the variables of interest