Advanced Search
MyIDEAS: Login

Optimal Bandwidth Choice for the Regression Discontinuity Estimator

Contents:

Author Info

  • Guido Imbens
  • Karthik Kalyanaraman
Registered author(s):

    Abstract

    We investigate the choice of the bandwidth for the regression discontinuity estimator. We focus on estimation by local linear regression, which was shown to have attractive properties (Porter, J. 2003, "Estimation in the Regression Discontinuity Model" (unpublished, Department of Economics, University of Wisconsin, Madison)). We derive the asymptotically optimal bandwidth under squared error loss. This optimal bandwidth depends on unknown functionals of the distribution of the data and we propose simple and consistent estimators for these functionals to obtain a fully data-driven bandwidth algorithm. We show that this bandwidth estimator is optimal according to the criterion of Li (1987, "Asymptotic Optimality for C p, C L, Cross-validation and Generalized Cross-validation: Discrete Index Set", Annals of Statistics, 15, 958--975), although it is not unique in the sense that alternative consistent estimators for the unknown functionals would lead to bandwidth estimators with the same optimality properties. We illustrate the proposed bandwidth, and the sensitivity to the choices made in our algorithm, by applying the methods to a data set previously analysed by Lee (2008, "Randomized Experiments from Non-random Selection in U.S. House Elections", Journal of Econometrics, 142, 675--697) as well as by conducting a small simulation study. Copyright , Oxford University Press.

    Download Info

    If you experience problems downloading a file, check if you have the proper application to view it first. In case of further problems read the IDEAS help page. Note that these files are not on the IDEAS site. Please be patient as the files may be large.
    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/restud/rdr043
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to look for a different version under "Related research" (further below) or search for a different version of it.

    Bibliographic Info

    Article provided by Oxford University Press in its journal The Review of Economic Studies.

    Volume (Year): 79 (2012)
    Issue (Month): 3 ()
    Pages: 933-959

    as in new window
    Handle: RePEc:oup:restud:v:79:y:2012:i:3:p:933-959

    Contact details of provider:

    Related research

    Keywords:

    References

    No references listed on IDEAS
    You can help add them by filling out this form.

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as in new window

    Cited by:
    1. Leonardo Becchetti & Massimo Ferrari, 2013. "The impact of the French Tobin tax," Econometica Working Papers wp47, Econometica.
    2. Ronny Freier & Sebastian Thomasius, 2012. "Voters Prefer More Qualified Mayors, but Does It Matter for Public Finances?: Evidence for Germany," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 1262, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    3. Daniel Muller & Lionel Page, 2013. "Political Selection and the Relative Age Effect," QuBE Working Papers 009, QUT Business School.
    4. Scrimgeour, Dean & Conover, Emily, 2012. "Health Consequences of Easier Access to Alcohol: New Zealand Evidence," Working Papers 2012-04, Department of Economics, Colgate University, revised 20 Dec 2012.

    Lists

    This item is not listed on Wikipedia, on a reading list or among the top items on IDEAS.

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:oup:restud:v:79:y:2012:i:3:p:933-959

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: (Oxford University Press) or (Christopher F. Baum).

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If references are entirely missing, you can add them using this form.

    If the full references list an item that is present in RePEc, but the system did not link to it, you can help with this form.

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.