Using Synthetic Controls: Feasibility, Data Requirements, and Methodological Aspects
为使用合成控制法的研究者提供实践指导，概述其优势、适用场景及局限，并讨论最新扩展和未来研究方向。
Probably because of their interpretability and transparent nature, synthetic controls have become widely applied in empirical research in economics and the social sciences. This article aims to provide practical guidance to researchers employing synthetic control methods. The article starts with an overview and an introduction to synthetic control estimation. The main sections discuss the advantages of the synthetic control framework as a research design, and describe the settings where synthetic controls provide reliable estimates and those where they may fail. The article closes with a discussion of recent extensions, related methods, and avenues for future research.