Weak-Identification Robust Wild Bootstrap applied to a Consistent Model Specification Test

Abstract

We present a new robust bootstrap method for a test when there is a nuisance parameter under the alternative, and some parameters are possibly weakly or non-identified. We focus on a Bierens (1990)-type conditional moment test of omitted nonlinearity for convenience, and because of difficulties that have been ignored to date. Existing methods include the supremum p-value which promotes a conservative test that is generally not consistent, and test statistic transforms like the supremum and average for which bootstrap methods are not valid under weak identification. We propose a new wild bootstrap method for p-value computation by targeting specific identification cases. We then combine bootstrapped p-values across polar identification cases to form an asymptotically valid p-value approximation that is robust to any identification case. The wild bootstrap does not require knowledge of the covariance structure of the bootstrapped processes, whereas Andrews and Cheng's (2012, 2013, 2014) simulation approach generally does. Our method allows for robust bootstrap critical value computation as well. Our bootstrap method (like conventional ones) does not lead to a consistent p-value approximation for test statistic functions like the supremum and average. We therefore smooth over the robust bootstrapped p-value as the basis for several tests which achieve the correct asymptotic level, and are consistent, for any degree of identification. They also achieve uniform size control. A simulation study reveals possibly large empirical size distortions in non-robust tests when weak or non-identification arises. One of our smoothed p-value tests, however, dominates all other tests by delivering accurate empirical size and comparatively high power.