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Regression Discontinuity Designs

Matias D. Cattaneo, Rocio Titiunik

arXiv 20 Aug 2021 · Econometrics · publishedAnnual Review of Economics (2022) · 33 citations (OpenAlex)

arXiv:2108.09400 · PDF · DOI · OpenAlex · Extracted main text

Abstract

The Regression Discontinuity (RD) design is one of the most widely used non-experimental methods for causal inference and program evaluation. Over the last two decades, statistical and econometric methods for RD analysis have expanded and matured, and there is now a large number of methodological results for RD identification, estimation, inference, and validation. We offer a curated review of this methodological literature organized around the two most popular frameworks for the analysis and interpretation of RD designs: the continuity framework and the local randomization framework. For each framework, we discuss three main topics: (i) designs and parameters, which focuses on different types of RD settings and treatment effects of interest; (ii) estimation and inference, which presents the most popular methods based on local polynomial regression and analysis of experiments, as well as refinements, extensions, and alternatives; and (iii) validation and falsification, which summarizes an array of mostly empirical approaches to support the validity of RD designs in practice.

Citation extraction

150
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Most heavily cited references

The works this paper leans on most, across its whole bibliography — not restricted to papers in our corpus. Ranked by composite intensity, which combines how often a work is mentioned, how many sections mention it, and how much of that falls in the main text rather than the appendix.

ReferenceIntensityMentionsSectionsMain text
1Cattaneo, Titiunik, and Vazquez-Bare (2017) Comparing Inference Approaches for RD Designs: A Reexamination of the Effect of Head Start on Child Mortality1.00064100%
2Cattaneo, Idrobo, and Titiunik (2022) A Practical Introduction to Regression Discontinuity Designs: Extensions self1.00053100%
3Cattaneo, Idrobo, and Titiunik (2020) A Practical Introduction to Regression Discontinuity Designs: Foundations self0.92843100%
4Calonico, Cattaneo, and Titiunik (2014) Robust Nonparametric Confidence Intervals for Regression-Discontinuity Designs self0.87462100%
5Cattaneo, Keele, Titiunik, and Vazquez-Bare (2016) Interpreting Regression Discontinuity Designs with Multiple Cutoffs0.87462100%
6Thistlethwaite and Campbell (1960) Regression-Discontinuity Analysis: An Alternative to the Ex-Post Facto Experiment0.84333100%
7Cattaneo, Frandsen, and Titiunik (2015) Randomization Inference in the Regression Discontinuity Design: An Application to Party Advantages in the U.S. Senate self0.81142100%
8Cattaneo, Keele, Titiunik, and Vazquez-Bare (2021) Extrapolating Treatment Effects in Multi-Cutoff Regression Discontinuity Designs0.81142100%
9Keele and Titiunik (2015) Geographic Boundaries as Regression Discontinuities0.81142100%
10De Magalhaes, Hangartner, Hirvonen, Meriläinen, Ruiz, and Tukiainen (2020) How Much Should We Trust Regression Discontinuity Design Estimates? Evidence from Experimental Benchmarks of the Incumbency Adva…0.73732100%

Showing the top 10 of 150 scored citations.

Cited by, within the corpus

arXiv econ.EM papers that cite this one, ranked by how heavily they lean on it.

Citing paperIntensityMentionsSections
1A Practical Introduction to Regression Discontinuity Designs: Extensions1.00065
2A Guide to Regression Discontinuity Designs in Medical Applications0.92844
3Estimating Causal Effects with Observational Data: Guidelines for Agricultural and Applied Economists0.87462
4Leveraging Covariates in Regression Discontinuity Designs0.84333
5Correcting invalid regression discontinuity designs with multiple time period data0.81142
6Covariate Adjustment in Regression Discontinuity Designs0.73732
7Hierarchical Gaussian Process Models for Regression Discontinuity/Kink under Sharp and Fuzzy Designs0.64422
82112.030960.64422
9Extrapolating Away from the Cutoff in Regression Discontinuity Designs0.64422
10Regression Discontinuity Design with Spillovers0.64422