How to compare 2 models in R using the plm package?

Question

So I am running a fixed effects model using the plm package in R, and I am wondering how I can compare which of two models are more suitable.

For example, here is the code for two models I have constructed:

library(plm)

eurofix <- plm(rlogmod ~ db+gdp+logvix+gb+i+logtdo+fx+ld+euro+core, 
               data=euro, 
               model="within")

eurofix2 <- plm(rlogmod ~ db+gdp+logvix+gb+i+logtdo+ld+euro+core, 
                data=euro,
                model="within")

I know that with a regular lm call, I can compare two models by running an anova test, but that does not seem to work in this case. I always get the following error:

Error in UseMethod("anova") : 
  no applicable method for 'anova' applied to an object of class "c('plm', 'panelmodel')"

Does anybody know what to do with the plm package? Is the Wald Test appropriate?

Answer 1

The following code answered a similar question in Cross Validated The question there is also about test (joint) hypothesis in plm routine. It should be straightforward to apply the codes to your question.

library(plm)  # Use plm
library(car)  # Use F-test in command linearHypothesis
library(tidyverse)
data(egsingle, package = 'mlmRev')
dta <- egsingle %>% mutate(Female = recode(female, .default = 0L, `Female` = 1L))
plm1 <- plm(math ~ Female * (year), data = dta, index = c('childid', 'year', 'schoolid'), model = 'within')

# Output from `summary(plm1)` --- I deleted a few lines to save space.
# Coefficients:
#                 Estimate Std. Error t-value Pr(>|t|)    
# year-1.5          0.8842     0.1008    8.77   <2e-16 ***
# year-0.5          1.8821     0.1007   18.70   <2e-16 ***
# year0.5           2.5626     0.1011   25.36   <2e-16 ***
# year1.5           3.1680     0.1016   31.18   <2e-16 ***
# year2.5           3.9841     0.1022   38.98   <2e-16 ***
# Female:year-1.5  -0.0918     0.1248   -0.74     0.46    
# Female:year-0.5  -0.0773     0.1246   -0.62     0.53    
# Female:year0.5   -0.0517     0.1255   -0.41     0.68    
# Female:year1.5   -0.1265     0.1265   -1.00     0.32    
# Female:year2.5   -0.1465     0.1275   -1.15     0.25    
# ---

xnames <- names(coef(plm1)) # a vector of all independent variables' names in 'plm1'
# Use 'grepl' to construct a vector of logic value that is TRUE if the variable
# name starts with 'Female:' at the beginning. This is generic, to pick up
# every variable that starts with 'year' at the beginning, just write
# 'grepl('^year+', xnames)'.
picked <- grepl('^Female:+', xnames)
linearHypothesis(plm1, xnames[picked])

# Hypothesis:
# Female:year - 1.5 = 0
# Female:year - 0.5 = 0
# Female:year0.5 = 0
# Female:year1.5 = 0
# Female:year2.5 = 0
# 
# Model 1: restricted model
# Model 2: math ~ Female * (year)
# 
#   Res.Df Df Chisq Pr(>Chisq)
# 1   5504                    
# 2   5499  5  6.15       0.29

Answer 2

I struggled with this too, but finally came up with the following solution (with the help of a PhD friend). Using your example, see a sample solution below.

Use the AIC Criteria to compare panel models as follows:

library(plm)

eurofix <- plm(rlogmod ~ db+gdp+logvix+gb+i+logtdo+fx+ld+euro+core, 
               data=euro, 
               model="within")

eurofix2 <- plm(rlogmod ~ db+gdp+logvix+gb+i+logtdo+ld+euro+core, 
                data=euro,
                model="within")

# AIC = log(RSS/N) + 2K/N  for linear models
# AIC = log(RSS/n) + 2K/n  for panel models

Sum1 <- summary(eurofix)
RSS1 <- sum(Sum1$residuals^2)
K1 <- max(eurofix$assign)
N1 <- length(eurofix$residuals)
n1 <- N1 - K1 - eurofix$df.residual

AIC_eurofix = log(RSS1/n1) + (2*K1)/n1

Sum2 <- summary(eurofix2)
RSS2 <- sum(Sum2$residuals^2)
K2 <- max(eurofix2$assign)
N2 <- length(eurofix2$residuals)
n2 <- N2 - K2 - eurofix2$df.residual

AIC_eurofix2 = log(RSS2/n2) + (2*K2)/n2

The lower AIC value is the preferred model!