Bootstrapping the process of model selection: AN econometric example

Abstract If a researcher has mined the data (i.e. selected an empirical model based on a series of trial estimates), inferences based on the final set of results are in general incorrect. This note treats the entire data mining process as an estimator and shows how a bootstrapping technique may improve the quality of inference. The method is applied to an empirical example on the deterrent effects of capital punishment.