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Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

Asymptotic size

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Inference Based On Many Conditional Moment Inequalities, Donald W.K. Andrews, Xiaoxia Shi Jul 2015

Inference Based On Many Conditional Moment Inequalities, Donald W.K. Andrews, Xiaoxia Shi

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

In this paper, we construct confidence sets for models defined by many conditional moment inequalities/equalities. The conditional moment restrictions in the models can be finite, countably infinite, or uncountably infinite. To deal with the complication brought about by the vast number of moment restrictions, we exploit the manageability (Pollard (1990)) of the class of moment functions. We verify the manageability condition in five examples from the recent partial identification literature. The proposed confidence sets are shown to have correct asymptotic size in a uniform sense and to exclude parameter values outside the identified set with probability approaching one. Monte Carlo …


Inference Based On Many Conditional Moment Inequalities, Donald W.K. Andrews, Xiaoxia Shi Jul 2015

Inference Based On Many Conditional Moment Inequalities, Donald W.K. Andrews, Xiaoxia Shi

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

In this paper, we construct confidence sets for models defined by many conditional moment inequalities/equalities. The conditional moment restrictions in the models can be finite, countably in finite, or uncountably in finite. To deal with the complication brought about by the vast number of moment restrictions, we exploit the manageability (Pollard (1990)) of the class of moment functions. We verify the manageability condition in five examples from the recent partial identification literature. The proposed confidence sets are shown to have correct asymptotic size in a uniform sense and to exclude parameter values outside the identified set with probability approaching one. …


Nonparametric Inference Based On Conditional Moment Inequalities, Donald W.K. Andrews, Xiaoxia Shi Dec 2011

Nonparametric Inference Based On Conditional Moment Inequalities, Donald W.K. Andrews, Xiaoxia Shi

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

This paper develops methods of inference for nonparametric and semiparametric parameters defined by conditional moment inequalities and/or equalities. The parameters need not be identified. Confidence sets and tests are introduced. The correct uniform asymptotic size of these procedures is established. The false coverage probabilities and power of the CS’s and tests are established for fixed alternatives and some local alternatives. Finite-sample simulation results are given for a nonparametric conditional quantile model with censoring and a nonparametric conditional treatment effect model. The recommended CS/test uses a Cramér-von-Mises-type test statistic and employs a generalized moment selection critical value.


Nonparametric Inference Based On Conditional Moment Inequalities, Donald W.K. Andrews, Xiaoxia Shi Dec 2011

Nonparametric Inference Based On Conditional Moment Inequalities, Donald W.K. Andrews, Xiaoxia Shi

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

This paper develops methods of inference for nonparametric and semiparametric parameters defined by conditional moment inequalities and/or equalities. The parameters need not be identified. Confidence sets and tests are introduced. The correct uniform asymptotic size of these procedures is established. The false coverage probabilities and power of the CS’s and tests are established for fixed alternatives and some local alternatives. Finite-sample simulation results are given for a nonparametric conditional quantile model with censoring and a nonparametric conditional treatment effect model. The recommended CS/test uses a Cramér-von-Mises-type test statistic and employs a generalized moment selection critical value.


Nonparametric Inference Based On Conditional Moment Inequalities, Donald W.K. Andrews, Xiaoxia Shi Dec 2011

Nonparametric Inference Based On Conditional Moment Inequalities, Donald W.K. Andrews, Xiaoxia Shi

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

This paper develops methods of inference for nonparametric and semiparametric parameters defined by conditional moment inequalities and/or equalities. The parameters need not be identified. Confidence sets and tests are introduced. The correct uniform asymptotic size of these procedures is established. The false coverage probabilities and power of the CS’s and tests are established for fixed alternatives and some local alternatives. Finite-sample simulation results are given for a nonparametric conditional quantile model with censoring and a nonparametric conditional treatment effect model. The recommended CS/test uses a Cramér-von-Mises-type test statistic and employs a generalized moment selection critical value.


Gmm Estimation And Uniform Subvector Inference With Possible Identification Failure, Donald W.K. Andrews, Xu Cheng Oct 2011

Gmm Estimation And Uniform Subvector Inference With Possible Identification Failure, Donald W.K. Andrews, Xu Cheng

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

This paper determines the properties of standard generalized method of moments (GMM) estimators, tests, and confidence sets (CS’s) in moment condition models in which some parameters are unidentified or weakly identified in part of the parameter space. The asymptotic distributions of GMM estimators are established under a full range of drifting sequences of true parameters and distributions. The asymptotic sizes (in a uniform sense) of standard GMM tests and CS’s are established. The paper also establishes the correct asymptotic sizes of “robust” GMM-based Wald, t , and quasi-likelihood ratio tests and CS’s whose critical values are designed to yield robustness …


Maximum Likelihood Estimation And Uniform Inference With Sporadic Identification Failure, Donald W.K. Andrews, Xu Cheng Oct 2011

Maximum Likelihood Estimation And Uniform Inference With Sporadic Identification Failure, Donald W.K. Andrews, Xu Cheng

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

This paper analyzes the properties of a class of estimators, tests, and confidence sets (CS’s) when the parameters are not identified in parts of the parameter space. Specifically, we consider estimator criterion functions that are sample averages and are smooth functions of a parameter theta. This includes log likelihood, quasi-log likelihood, and least squares criterion functions. We determine the asymptotic distributions of estimators under lack of identification and under weak, semi-strong, and strong identification. We determine the asymptotic size (in a uniform sense) of standard t and quasi-likelihood ratio (QLR) tests and CS’s. We provide methods of constructing QLR tests …


Maximum Likelihood Estimation And Uniform Inference With Sporadic Identification Failure, Donald W.K. Andrews, Xu Cheng Oct 2011

Maximum Likelihood Estimation And Uniform Inference With Sporadic Identification Failure, Donald W.K. Andrews, Xu Cheng

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

This paper analyzes the properties of a class of estimators, tests, and confidence sets (CS’s) when the parameters are not identified in parts of the parameter space. Specifically, we consider estimator criterion functions that are sample averages and are smooth functions of a parameter theta. This includes log likelihood, quasi-log likelihood, and least squares criterion functions. We determine the asymptotic distributions of estimators under lack of identification and under weak, semi-strong, and strong identification. We determine the asymptotic size (in a uniform sense) of standard t and quasi-likelihood ratio (QLR) tests and CS’s. We provide methods of constructing QLR tests …


Gmm Estimation And Uniform Subvector Inference With Possible Identification Failure, Donald W.K. Andrews, Xu Cheng Oct 2011

Gmm Estimation And Uniform Subvector Inference With Possible Identification Failure, Donald W.K. Andrews, Xu Cheng

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

This paper determines the properties of standard generalized method of moments (GMM) estimators, tests, and confidence sets (CS’s) in moment condition models in which some parameters are unidentified or weakly identified in part of the parameter space. The asymptotic distributions of GMM estimators are established under a full range of drifting sequences of true parameters and distributions. The asymptotic sizes (in a uniform sense) of standard GMM tests and CS’s are established. The paper also establishes the correct asymptotic sizes of “robust” GMM-based Wald, t; and quasi-likelihood ratio tests and CS’s whose critical values are designed to yield robustness to …


A Conditional-Heteroskedasticity-Robust Confidence Interval For The Autoregressive Parameter, Donald W.K. Andrews, Patrik Guggenberger Aug 2011

A Conditional-Heteroskedasticity-Robust Confidence Interval For The Autoregressive Parameter, Donald W.K. Andrews, Patrik Guggenberger

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

This paper introduces a new confidence interval (CI) for the autoregressive parameter (AR) in an AR(1) model that allows for conditional heteroskedasticity of general form and AR parameters that are less than or equal to unity. The CI is a modification of Mikusheva’s (2007a) modification of Stock’s (1991) CI that employs the least squares estimator and a heteroskedasticity-robust variance estimator. The CI is shown to have correct asymptotic size and to be asymptotically similar (in a uniform sense). It does not require any tuning parameters. No existing procedures have these properties. Monte Carlo simulations show that the CI performs well …


Generic Results For Establishing The Asymptotic Size Of Confidence Sets And Tests, Donald W.K. Andrews, Xu Cheng, Patrik Guggenberger Aug 2011

Generic Results For Establishing The Asymptotic Size Of Confidence Sets And Tests, Donald W.K. Andrews, Xu Cheng, Patrik Guggenberger

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

This paper provides a set of results that can be used to establish the asymptotic size and/or similarity in a uniform sense of confidence sets and tests. The results are generic in that they can be applied to a broad range of problems. They are most useful in scenarios where the pointwise asymptotic distribution of a test statistic has a discontinuity in its limit distribution. The results are illustrated in three examples. These are: (i) the conditional likelihood ratio test of Moreira (2003) for linear instrumental variables models with instruments that may be weak, extended to the case of heteroskedastic …


A Conditional-Heteroskedasticity-Robust Confidence Interval For The Autoregressive Parameter, Donald W.K. Andrews, Patrik Guggenberger Aug 2011

A Conditional-Heteroskedasticity-Robust Confidence Interval For The Autoregressive Parameter, Donald W.K. Andrews, Patrik Guggenberger

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

This paper introduces a new confidence interval (CI) for the autoregressive parameter (AR) in an AR(1) model that allows for conditional heteroskedasticity of general form and AR parameters that are less than or equal to unity. The CI is a modification of Mikusheva’s (2007a) modification of Stock’s (1991) CI that employs the least squares estimator and a heteroskedasticity-robust variance estimator. The CI is shown to have correct asymptotic size and to be asymptotically similar (in a uniform sense). It does not require any tuning parameters. No existing procedures have these properties. Monte Carlo simulations show that the CI performs well …


Estimation And Inference With Weak, Semi-Strong, And Strong Identification, Donald W.K. Andrews, Xu Cheng Oct 2010

Estimation And Inference With Weak, Semi-Strong, And Strong Identification, Donald W.K. Andrews, Xu Cheng

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

This paper analyzes the properties of standard estimators, tests, and confidence sets (CS’s) in a class of models in which the parameters are unidentified or weakly identified in some parts of the parameter space. The paper also introduces methods to make the tests and CS’s robust to such identification problems. The results apply to a class of extremum estimators and corresponding tests and CS’s, including maximum likelihood (ML), least squares (LS), quantile, generalized method of moments (GMM), generalized empirical likelihood (GEL), minimum distance (MD), and semi-parametric estimators. The consistency/lack-of-consistency and asymptotic distributions of the estimators are established under a full …


Inference Based On Conditional Moment Inequalities, Donald W.K. Andrews, Xiaoxia Shi Jun 2010

Inference Based On Conditional Moment Inequalities, Donald W.K. Andrews, Xiaoxia Shi

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

In this paper, we propose an instrumental variable approach to constructing confidence sets (CS’s) for the true parameter in models defined by conditional moment inequalities/equalities. We show that by properly choosing instrument functions, one can transform conditional moment inequalities/equalities into unconditional ones without losing identification power. Based on the unconditional moment inequalities/equalities, we construct CS’s by inverting Cramér-von Mises-type or Kolmogorov-Smirnov-type tests. Critical values are obtained using generalized moment selection (GMS) procedures. We show that the proposed CS’s have correct uniform asymptotic coverage probabilities. New methods are required to establish these results because an infinite-dimensional nuisance parameter affects the asymptotic …


Inference Based On Conditional Moment Inequalities, Donald W.K. Andrews, Xiaoxia Shi Jun 2010

Inference Based On Conditional Moment Inequalities, Donald W.K. Andrews, Xiaoxia Shi

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

In this paper, we propose an instrumental variable approach to constructing confidence sets (CS’s) for the true parameter in models defined by conditional moment inequalities/equalities. We show that by properly choosing instrument functions, one can transform conditional moment inequalities/equalities into unconditional ones without losing identification power. Based on the unconditional moment inequalities/equalities, we construct CS’s by inverting Cramér–von Mises-type or Kolmogorov–Smirnov-type tests. Critical values are obtained using generalized moment selection (GMS) procedures. We show that the proposed CS’s have correct uniform asymptotic coverage probabilities. New methods are required to establish these results because an infinite-dimensional nuisance parameter affects the asymptotic …


Inference Based On Conditional Moment Inequalities, Donald W.K. Andrews, Xiaoxia Shi Jun 2010

Inference Based On Conditional Moment Inequalities, Donald W.K. Andrews, Xiaoxia Shi

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

In this paper, we propose an instrumental variable approach to constructing confidence sets (CS’s) for the true parameter in models defined by conditional moment inequalities/equalities. We show that by properly choosing instrument functions, one can transform conditional moment inequalities/equalities into unconditional ones without losing identification power. Based on the unconditional moment inequalities/equalities, we construct CS’s by inverting Cramér-von Mises-type or Kolmogorov-Smirnov-type tests. Critical values are obtained using generalized moment selection (GMS) procedures. We show that the proposed CS’s have correct uniform asymptotic coverage probabilities. New methods are required to establish these results because an infinite-dimensional nuisance parameter affects the asymptotic …


Estimation And Inference With Weak, Semi-Strong, And Strong Identification, Donald W.K. Andrews, Xu Cheng Jun 2010

Estimation And Inference With Weak, Semi-Strong, And Strong Identification, Donald W.K. Andrews, Xu Cheng

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

This paper analyzes the properties of standard estimators, tests, and confidence sets (CS’s) for parameters that are unidentified or weakly identified in some parts of the parameter space. The paper also introduces methods to make the tests and CS’s robust to such identification problems. The results apply to a class of extremum estimators and corresponding tests and CS’s that are based on criterion functions that satisfy certain asymptotic stochastic quadratic expansions and that depend on the parameter that determines the strength of identification. This covers a class of models estimated using maximum likelihood (ML), least squares (LS), quantile, generalized method …


Inference For Parameters Defined By Moment Inequalities: A Recommended Moment Selection Procedure, Donald W.K. Andrews, Panle Jai Barwick Sep 2008

Inference For Parameters Defined By Moment Inequalities: A Recommended Moment Selection Procedure, Donald W.K. Andrews, Panle Jai Barwick

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

This paper is concerned with tests and confidence intervals for parameters that are not necessarily identified and are defined by moment inequalities. In the literature, different test statistics, critical value methods, and implementation methods (i.e., the asymptotic distribution versus the bootstrap) have been proposed. In this paper, we compare these methods. We provide a recommended test statistic, moment selection critical value method, and implementation method. We provide data-dependent procedures for choosing the key moment selection tuning parameter kappa and a size-correction factor eta.


Inference For Parameters Defined By Moment Inequalities: A Recommended Moment Selection Procedure, Donald W.K. Andrews, Panle Jai Barwick Sep 2008

Inference For Parameters Defined By Moment Inequalities: A Recommended Moment Selection Procedure, Donald W.K. Andrews, Panle Jai Barwick

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

This paper is concerned with tests and confidence intervals for partially-identified parameters that are defined by moment inequalities and equalities. In the literature, different test statistics, critical value methods, and implementation methods (i.e., asymptotic distribution versus the bootstrap) have been proposed. In this paper, we compare a wide variety of these methods. We provide a recommended test statistic, moment selection critical value method, and implementation method. In addition, we provide a data-dependent procedure for choosing the key moment selection tuning parameter and a data-dependent size-correction factor.


The Impact Of A Hausman Pretest On The Size Of Hypothesis Tests, Patrik Guggenberger Apr 2008

The Impact Of A Hausman Pretest On The Size Of Hypothesis Tests, Patrik Guggenberger

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

This paper investigates the size properties of a two-stage test in the linear instrumental variables model when in the first stage a Hausman (1978) specification test is used as a pretest of exogeneity of a regressor. In the second stage, a simple hypothesis about a component of the structural parameter vector is tested, using a t -statistic that is based on either the ordinary least squares (OLS) or the two-stage least squares estimator (2SLS) depending on the outcome of the Hausman pretest. The asymptotic size of the two-stage test is derived in a model where weak instruments are ruled out …


Inference For Parameters Defined By Moment Inequalities Using Generalized Moment Selection, Donald W.K. Andrews, Patrik Guggenberger Oct 2007

Inference For Parameters Defined By Moment Inequalities Using Generalized Moment Selection, Donald W.K. Andrews, Patrik Guggenberger

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

The topic of this paper is inference in models in which parameters are defined by moment inequalities and/or equalities. The parameters may or may not be identified. This paper introduces a new class of confidence sets and tests based on generalized moment selection (GMS). GMS procedures are shown to have correct asymptotic size in a uniform sense and are shown not to be asymptotically conservative. The power of GMS tests is compared to that of subsampling, m out of n bootstrap, and “plug-in asymptotic” (PA) tests. The latter three procedures are the only general procedures in the literature that have …


Validity Of Subsampling And ‘Plug-In Asymptotic’ Inference For Parameters Defined By Moment Inequalities, Donald W.K. Andrews, Patrik Guggenberger Jul 2007

Validity Of Subsampling And ‘Plug-In Asymptotic’ Inference For Parameters Defined By Moment Inequalities, Donald W.K. Andrews, Patrik Guggenberger

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

This paper considers inference for parameters defined by moment inequalities and equalities. The parameters need not be identified. For a specified class of test statistics, this paper establishes the uniform asymptotic validity of subsampling, m out of n bootstrap, and “plug-in asymptotic” tests and confidence intervals for such parameters. Establishing uniform asymptotic validity is crucial in moment inequality problems because the test statistics of interest have discontinuities in their pointwise asymptotic distributions. The size results are quite general because they hold without specifying the particular form of the moment conditions — only 2 + δ moments finite are required. The …


Applications Of Subsampling, Hybrid, And Size-Correction Methods, Donald W.K. Andrews, Patrik Guggenberger May 2007

Applications Of Subsampling, Hybrid, And Size-Correction Methods, Donald W.K. Andrews, Patrik Guggenberger

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

This paper analyzes the properties of subsampling, hybrid subsampling, and size-correction methods in two non-regular models. The latter two procedures are introduced in Andrews and Guggenberger (2005b). The models are non-regular in the sense that the test statistics of interest exhibit a discontinuity in their limit distribution as a function of a parameter in the model. The first model is a linear instrumental variables (IV) model with possibly weak IVs estimated using two-stage least squares (2SLS). In this case, the discontinuity occurs when the concentration parameter is zero. The second model is a linear regression model in which the parameter …


The Limit Of Finite-Sample Size And A Problem With Subsampling, Donald W.K. Andrews, Patrik Guggenberger Mar 2007

The Limit Of Finite-Sample Size And A Problem With Subsampling, Donald W.K. Andrews, Patrik Guggenberger

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

This paper considers inference based on a test statistic that has a limit distribution that is discontinuous in a nuisance parameter or the parameter of interest. The paper shows that subsample, b n < n bootstrap, and standard fixed critical value tests based on such a test statistic often have asymptotic size — defined as the limit of the finite-sample size — that is greater than the nominal level of the tests. We determine precisely the asymptotic size of such tests under a general set of high-level conditions that are relatively easy to verify. The high-level conditions are verified in several examples. Analogous results are established for confidence intervals. The results apply to tests and confidence intervals (i) when a parameter may be near a boundary, (ii) for parameters defined by moment inequalities, (iii) based on super-efficient or shrinkage estimators, (iv) based on post-model selection estimators, (v) in scalar and vector autoregressive models with roots that may be close to unity, (vi) in models with lack of identification at some point(s) in the parameter space, such as models with weak instruments and threshold autoregressive models, (vii) in predictive regression models with nearly-integrated regressors, (viii) for non-differentiable functions of parameters, and (ix) for differentiable functions of parameters that have zero first-order derivative. Examples (i)-(iii) are treated in this paper. Examples (i) and (iv)-(vi) are treated in sequels to this paper, Andrews and Guggenberger (2005a, b). In models with unidentified parameters that are bounded by moment inequalities, i.e., example (ii), certain subsample confidence regions are shown to have asymptotic size equal to their nominal level. In all other examples listed above, some types of subsample procedures do not have asymptotic size equal to their nominal level.


The Limit Of Finite-Sample Size And A Problem With Subsampling, Donald W.K. Andrews, Patrik Guggenberger Mar 2007

The Limit Of Finite-Sample Size And A Problem With Subsampling, Donald W.K. Andrews, Patrik Guggenberger

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

This paper considers inference based on a test statistic that has a limit distribution that is discontinuous in a nuisance parameter or the parameter of interest. The paper shows that subsample, b n < n bootstrap, and standard fixed critical value tests based on such a test statistic often have asymptotic size — defined as the limit of the finite-sample size — that is greater than the nominal level of the tests. We determine precisely the asymptotic size of such tests under a general set of high-level conditions that are relatively easy to verify. The high-level conditions are verified in several examples. Analogous results are established for confidence intervals. The results apply to tests and confidence intervals (i) when a parameter may be near a boundary, (ii) for parameters defined by moment inequalities, (iii) based on super-efficient or shrinkage estimators, (iv) based on post-model selection estimators, (v) in scalar and vector autoregressive models with roots that may be close to unity, (vi) in models with lack of identification at some point(s) in the parameter space, such as models with weak instruments and threshold autoregressive models, (vii) in predictive regression models with nearly-integrated regressors, (viii) for non-differentiable functions of parameters, and (ix) for differentiable functions of parameters that have zero first-order derivative. Examples (i)-(iii) are treated in this paper. Examples (i) and (iv)-(vi) are treated in sequels to this paper, Andrews and Guggenberger (2005a, b). In models with unidentified parameters that are bounded by moment inequalities, i.e., example (ii), certain subsample confidence regions are shown to have asymptotic size equal to their nominal level. In all other examples listed above, some types of subsample procedures do not have asymptotic size equal to their nominal level.


Hybrid And Size-Corrected Subsample Methods, Donald W.K. Andrews, Patrik Guggenberger Mar 2007

Hybrid And Size-Corrected Subsample Methods, Donald W.K. Andrews, Patrik Guggenberger

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

This paper considers the problem of constructing tests and confidence intervals (CIs) that have correct asymptotic size in a broad class of non-regular models. The models considered are non-regular in the sense that standard test statistics have asymptotic distributions that are discontinuous in some parameters. It is shown in Andrews and Guggenberger (2005a) that standard fixed critical value, subsample, and b < n bootstrap methods often have incorrect size in such models. This paper introduces general methods of constructing tests and CIs that have correct size. First, procedures are introduced that are a hybrid of subsample and fixed critical value methods. The resulting hybrid procedures are easy to compute and have correct size asymptotically in many, but not all, cases of interest. Second, the paper introduces size-correction and “plug-in” size-correction methods for fixed critical value, subsample, and hybrid tests. The paper also introduces finite-sample adjustments to the asymptotic results of Andrews and Guggenberger (2005a) for subsample and hybrid methods and employs these adjustments in size-correction. The paper discusses several examples in detail. The examples are: (i) tests when a nuisance parameter may be near a boundary, (ii) CIs in an autoregressive model with a root that may be close to unity, and (iii) tests and CIs based on a post-conservative model selection estimator.