How can I identify groups with few observations in panel-data models?
I estimated using xtlogit several random effects models. On average I have 26 obs per group but some groups only record 1 observation. I want to identify them and exclude them from the models... any suggestion how?
My panel data is set using: xtset countrycode year
Let's suppose your magic number for a big enough panel is 7 and that you fit a first model.
bysort countrycode : egen n_used = total(e(sample))
then gives you a count of how many observations were available and can be used, after which your criterion for a later model is if n_used >= 7
You could just go
bysort countrycode : gen n_available = _N
regardless of a model fit.
The differences are two-fold:
That last statement would disregard any missing values in the variables used in a model fit.
If you also used if and/or in to restrict model fit to particular subsets of observations, then e(sample) knows about that, but the last statement does not.