[b]"Can someone explain what is panel data and how it's used in research?"[/b] or [b]"What is panel data and why i

"Hey everyone, newbie here!

I keep hearing about *panel data* in my econometrics class but I’m still kinda confused. what is panel data exactly? Like, is it just a fancy term for tracking the same people/companies over time?

Also, how’s it different from cross-sectional data? And why do researchers even bother with it? Seems like extra work lol.

Would love a simple explanation—maybe with an example? Thanks in advance! 🙏

P.S. If anyone has good resources on this, drop ’em below!"

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