Bias Correction and Robust Inference in Semiparametric Models

Abstract: This paper analyzes several different biases that emerge from the (possibly) low-precision nonparametric ingredient in a semiparametric model. We show that both the variance part and the bias part of the nonparametric ingredient can lead to some biases in the semiparametric estimator, under conditions weaker than typically required in the literature. We then propose two bias-robust inference procedures, based on multi-scale jackknife and analytical bias correction, respectively. We also extend our framework to the case where the semiparametric estimator is constructed by some discontinuous functionals of the nonparametric ingredient. Simulation study shows that both bias-correction methods have good finite-sample performance.