We present a simple way to estimate the effects of changes in a vector of observable variables X on a limited dependent variable Y when Y is a general nonseparable function of X and unobservables. We treat models in which Y is censored from above or below or potentially from both. The basic idea...

The goal of this paper is to use a semiparametric reduced form model to estimate the effects of various tuition subsidies. This approach expands on the tuition subsidy example in Ichimura and Taber (2000) in a number of dimensions. It has become common practice in the empirical literature to...

The matching method for treatment evaluation does not balance selective unobserved differences between treated and non-treated. We derive a simple correction term if there is an instrument that shifts the treatment probability to zero in specific cases. Policies with eligibility...

This paper develops a concrete formula for the asymptotic distribution of two-step, possibly non-smooth semiparametric M-estimators under general misspecification. Our regularity conditions are relatively straightforward to verify and also weaker than those available in the literature. The...

We consider the problem of choosing two bandwidths simultaneously for estimating the difference of two functions at given points. When the asymptotic approximation of the mean squared error (AMSE) criterion is used, we show that minimisation problem is not well-defined when the sign of the...

A new bandwidth selection rule that uses different bandwidths for the local linear regression estimators on the left and the right of the cut-off point is proposed for the sharp regression discontinuity estimator of the mean program impact at the cut-off point. The asymptotic mean squared error...

Often semiparametric estimators are asymptotically equivalent to a sample average. The object being averaged is referred to as the influence function. The influence function is useful in formulating primitive regularity conditions for asymptotic normality, in efficiency comparions, for bias...

A new bandwidth selection method for the fuzzy regression discontinuity estimator is proposed. The method chooses two bandwidths simultaneously, one for each side of the cut-off point by using a criterion based on the estimated asymptotic mean square error taking into account a second-order bias...

We investigate the performance of a class of semiparametric estimators of the treatment effect via asymptotic expansions. We derive approximations to the first two moments of the estimator that are valid to 'second order'. We use these approximations to define a method of bandwidth selection. We...

There are many economic parameters that depend on nonparametric first steps. Examples include games, dynamic discrete choice, average consumer surplus, and treatment effects. Often estimators of these parameters are asymptotically equivalent to a sample average of an object referred to as the...