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Omit Consant

Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2012 3:28 am
by ancraeg52
Hi,

I have been running a standard OLS regression and all my variables are statistically significant. It has passed all necessary diagnostic tests. However, my constant is not statistically significant and I was wondering does this compromise the results of this model. Should I omit it from the regression all together?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
J.

Re: Omit Consant

Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2012 7:36 am
by startz
Leave it in. The constant rarely has a substantive interpretation anyhow.

Re: Omit Consant

Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 4:39 am
by ancraeg52
Hi Startz,

Thanks for your reply and apologies, I probably should have mentioned that all variables (both LHS and RHS) are first differenced - Would this be a reason to omit the constant?

Thanks,
J

Re: Omit Consant

Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 7:37 am
by startz
That might make it more likely that the constant is really zero, but I'd leave it in anyway.

Re: Omit Consant

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 3:25 am
by ancraeg52
Thanks for your help Startz,
Regards,