On characteristic function-based bootstrap tests

Summary A two-step method is proposed for evaluating the bootstrap null distribution function of some useful test statistics appropriate for two-sample and multi-sample comparisons. In the first step, the characteristic function of the bootstrap null distribution function is determined by recursive equations; in the second a numerical inversion by the Fast Fourier Transform is performed to evaluate this null distribution function. A simulation experiment is performed to show how computer timings increase with the pooled sample size.