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The Estimation of Causal Effects by Difference-in-Difference Methods

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  • Michael Lechner

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Abstract

This survey gives a brief overview of the literature on the difference-in-difference (DiD) estimation strategy and discusses major issues using a treatment effect perspective. In this sense, this survey gives a somewhat different view on DiD than the standard textbook discussion of the difference-in-difference model, but it will also not be as complete as the latter. This survey contains also a couple of extensions to the literature, for example, a discussion of and suggestions for non-linear DiD as well as DiD based on propensity-score type matching methods.

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Paper provided by Department of Economics, University of St. Gallen in its series University of St. Gallen Department of Economics working paper series 2010 with number 2010-28.

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Length: 57 pages
Date of creation: Sep 2010
Date of revision: Oct 2011
Handle: RePEc:usg:dp2010:2010-28
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Keywords: Causal inference; counterfactual analysis; before-after-treatment-control design; control group design with pretest and posttest;

Other versions of this item:

Find related papers by JEL classification:
  • C21 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Cross-Sectional Models; Spatial Models; Treatment Effect Models
  • C23 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models
  • C31 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Cross-Sectional Models; Spatial Models; Treatment Effect Models; Quantile Regressions; Social Interaction Models
  • C33 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models

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Cited by:

  1. Lindgren, Karl-Oskar & Oskarsson, Sven & T Dawes, Christopher, 2014. "Can political inequalities be educated away? Evidence from a Swedish school reform," Working Paper Series 2014:29, IFAU - Institute for Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy.
  2. Puhani, Patrick A., 2012. "The treatment effect, the cross difference, and the interaction term in nonlinear “difference-in-differences” models," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 115(1), pages 85-87.
  3. Bernhard Boockmann & Raimund Krumm & Michael Neumann & Pia Rattenhuber, 2013. "Turning the Switch: An Evaluation of the Minimum Wage in the German Electrical Trade Using Repeated Natural Experiments," German Economic Review, Verein für Socialpolitik, vol. 14(3), pages 316-348, 08.
  4. Mattias Brachert & Walter Hyll, 2014. "On the Stability of Preferences: Repercussions of Entrepreneurship on Risk Attitudes," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 667, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
  5. Dalsgaard, Søren & Nielsen, Helena Skyt & Simonsen, Marianne, 2014. "Consequences of ADHD medication use for children's outcomes," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 137-151.
  6. Heinesen, Eskil & Kolodziejczyk, Christophe, 2013. "Effects of breast and colorectal cancer on labour market outcomes—Average effects and educational gradients," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(6), pages 1028-1042.
  7. Cruz, Marcio, 2014. "Do export promotion agencies promote new exporters ?," Policy Research Working Paper Series 7004, The World Bank.
  8. Burgess, Simon & Wilson, Deborah & Worth, Jack, 2013. "A natural experiment in school accountability: The impact of school performance information on pupil progress," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 57-67.

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