IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/ecinqu/v64y2026i3p798-818.html

Placebo zones in discontinuity‐based designs: Estimation, inference, and implementation

Author

Listed:
  • Nathan Kettlewell
  • Peter Siminski

Abstract

We propose a new model‐selection algorithm for regression discontinuity design and related estimators. The performance of candidate models is assessed within a “placebo zone” of the running variable. Candidate models can differ by bandwidth and other choice parameters. We outline (restrictive) sufficient conditions under which the approach is asymptotically optimal, and then show the approach also performs favorably under more general conditions in Monte Carlo simulations, including simulations calibrated to well‐known real‐world applications. We also propose a new randomization inference procedure which draws on the placebo estimates. Our Stata commands implement the procedure and compare its performance to other approaches.

Suggested Citation

  • Nathan Kettlewell & Peter Siminski, 2026. "Placebo zones in discontinuity‐based designs: Estimation, inference, and implementation," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 64(3), pages 798-818, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:ecinqu:v:64:y:2026:i:3:p:798-818
    DOI: 10.1111/ecin.70056
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/ecin.70056
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/ecin.70056?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:ecinqu:v:64:y:2026:i:3:p:798-818. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    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.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using 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 RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/weaaaea.html .

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

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.