ectheory-tables-figures

Tables & Figures (ectheory-tables-figures)

When to trigger

• Turning Monte Carlo output into publication tables (size, power, coverage, bias, RMSE)
• Building plots of finite-sample distributions, convergence to the limit, or rejection curves
• Preparing figure files to ET's format and resolution specs
• Checking that exhibits are self-contained and legible after print reduction

What ET exhibits look like

ET is a theory journal, so most exhibits are simulation tables and diagnostic plots that illustrate the asymptotics, not empirical-result tables. Common exhibits:

• Size/power tables — empirical rejection rates under the null (vs nominal level) and under alternatives, across DGPs and sample sizes.
• Coverage / bias / RMSE tables — for estimators, across n and DGP, against a benchmark method.
• Distribution / convergence plots — empirical vs limiting density (e.g., normal, mixed-normal, Brownian functional); QQ plots; rejection curves as a function of the alternative.
• Rate plots — a statistic against n on a scale that reveals the convergence rate.

Construction standards

• Self-contained notes. Each table/figure note states the DGP, sample sizes, number of replications, nominal level, and what each column/curve is — readable without the main text.
• Honest contrast. Put your method beside the natural competitor in the same table; do not hide the comparison.
• Legibility. Exhibits must be legible at 50% reduction; avoid chartjunk, 3D, and dense color. Keep table precision sensible (e.g., 3 decimals for rejection rates).
• Figure files (ET specs). Supply TIFF (line art >=600 dpi, greyscale >=300 dpi), EPS (fonts embedded), or PDF. Embed fonts; vector output for line art.
• Numbering. Tables and figures numbered and called out in order in the text.

Checklist

• Each exhibit note states DGP, n, replications, nominal level, and column/curve definitions
• Size reported against the nominal level; power against stated alternatives
• Benchmark method shown alongside, not omitted
• Plots show convergence/limit behavior clearly; rate legible where claimed
• Legible at 50% reduction; no chartjunk; sensible decimal precision
• Figure files in TIFF/EPS/PDF with fonts embedded, at required resolution
• All exhibits numbered and referenced in order

Anti-patterns

• A size table without the nominal level, so over-/under-rejection cannot be judged
• Notes that require the reader to hunt through the text to decode the columns
• Cherry-picked DGPs hiding the regime where the method underperforms
• Raster figures at low dpi that blur at print reduction
• 3D bars or rainbow palettes obscuring a simple size/power comparison

Exhibit pass for Econometric Theory

Treat this skill as an executable review pass, not a prose hint. First lock the primitive assumptions, theorem statement, proof route, and example showing why the result matters; then judge whether the current manuscript answers the venue's real reader: econometric theorists who read for assumptions, theorem novelty, proof architecture, and relation to known asymptotics.

• Do the pass: For every table or figure, state the estimand or object, sample or case base, uncertainty display, and one sentence the exhibit proves for the venue audience.
• Return a ledger: give claim / evidence / risk / manuscript location rows, so the next agent can edit rather than rediscover the issue.
• Sibling guard: compare against Journal of Econometrics for applied-method reach, Quantitative Economics for theoretical economics, Econometrica for general theory-plus-economics contribution; if a sibling owns the contribution, recommend re-routing before polishing format.
• Stop condition: do not give submission-ready advice until the pack's resources/official-source-map.md has been checked for volatile rules and the manuscript has one concrete fix for the largest venue-specific risk.

Output format

【Exhibit】size / power / coverage / bias-RMSE / distribution / rate plot
【Self-contained note】DGP + n + reps + level stated? [Y/N]
【Benchmark shown】[Y/N]
【Legible at 50%】[Y/N]
【File format】TIFF / EPS / PDF, fonts embedded? [Y/N]
【Next step】ectheory-writing-style