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A Projection Approach to Nonparametric Significance and Conditional Independence Testing

Xiaojun Song, Jichao Yuan

arXiv 17 Feb 2026 · Econometrics

arXiv:2602.15289 · PDF · DOI · OpenAlex · Extracted main text

Abstract

This paper develops a novel nonparametric significance test based on a tailored nonparametric-type projected weighting function that exhibits appealing theoretical and numerical properties. We derive the asymptotic properties of the proposed test and show that it can detect local alternatives at the parametric rate. Using the nonparametric orthogonal projection, we construct a computationally convenient multiplier bootstrap to obtain critical values from the case-dependent asymptotic null distribution. Compared with the existing literature, our approach overcomes the need for a stronger compact support assumption on the density of covariates arising from random denominators. We also extend the tailor-made projection procedure to test the conditional independence assumption. The simulation experiments further illustrate the advantages of our proposed method in testing significance and conditional independence in finite samples.

Citation extraction

42
references
101
in-text mentions
42
distinct cited
3
self-citations
9,817
main-text words

appendix boundary found by appendix_command · 39% of the source is main text. Read the extracted text to check this.

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
1Fan, Y. and Li, Q (1996) Consistent model specification tests: omitted variables and semiparametric functional forms0.92843100%
2van der Vaart, A. W. and Wellner, J. A (1996) Weak Convergence and Empirical Processes0.8435360%
3Delgado, M. A. and González-Manteiga, W (2001) Significance testing in nonparametric regression based on the bootstrap0.81439954%
4Bierens, H. J. and Ploberger, W (1997) Asymptotic theory of integrated conditional moment tests0.7373367%
5Lavergne, P. and Vuong, Q (2000) Nonparametric significance testing0.73732100%
6Bierens, H. J (1982) Consistent model specification tests0.64422100%
7Durbin, J (1973) Distribution theory for tests based on the sample distribution function0.64422100%
8Sant’Anna, P. H. and Song, X (2019) Specification tests for the propensity score self0.64422100%
9Song, X. and Yang, Z (2025) Unified specification tests in partially linear quantile regression models self0.64422100%
10Yang, Z., Song, X., and Yu, J (2024) Model checking in partially linear spatial autoregressive models self0.64422100%

Showing the top 10 of 42 scored citations.