Interval Estimation for the Difference of Two Independent Variances

Analytical methods for interval estimation of differences between variances have not been described. A simple analytical method is given for interval estimation of the difference between variances of two independent samples. It is shown, using simulations, that confidence intervals generated with this method have close to nominal coverage even when sample sizes are small and unequal and observations are highly skewed and leptokurtic, provided the difference in variances is not very large. The method is also adapted for testing the hypothesis of no difference between variances. The test is robust but slightly less powerful than Bonett's test with small samples.     

An Alternative to Transfer Function Forecasting Based on Subspace Methods

In the time series literature, recent interest has focused on the so-called subspace methods. These techniques use canonical correlations and linear regressions to estimate the system matrices of an ARMAX model expressed in state space form. In this article, we use subspace methods to forecast two series with the help of some exogenous variables related to them. We compare the results with those obtained using traditional transfer function models and find that the forecasts obtained with both methods are similar. This result is very encouraging because, in contrast to transfer function models, subspace methods can be considered as almost automatic.     

Paired-Samples Tests of Equivalence

Equivalence tests are used when the objective is to find that two or more groups are nearly equivalent on some outcome, such that any difference is inconsequential. Equivalence tests are available for several research designs, however, paired-samples equivalence tests that are accessible and relevant to the research performed by psychologists have been understudied. This study evaluated parametric and nonparametric two one-sided paired-samples equivalence tests and a standardized paired-samples equivalence test developed by Wellek (2003 Wellek , S. (2003). Testing Statistical Hypotheses of Equivalence . New York : Chapman & Hall/CRC. [Google Scholar]). The two one-sided procedures had better Type I error control and greater power than Wellek's test, with the nonparametric procedure having increased power with non normal distributions.     

Parameter Estimation Through Weighted Least-Squares Rank Regression with Specific Reference to the Weibull and Gumbel Distributions

Probability plots are often used to estimate the parameters of distributions. Using large sample properties of the empirical distribution function and order statistics, weights to stabilize the variance in order to perform weighted least squares regression are derived. Weighted least squares regression is then applied to the estimation of the parameters of the Weibull, and the Gumbel distribution. The weights are independent of the parameters of the distributions considered. Monte Carlo simulation shows that the weighted least-squares estimators outperform the usual least-squares estimators totally, especially in small samples.     

Correlation-Type Goodness of Fit Test for Extreme Value Distribution Based on Simultaneous Closeness

In reliability studies, one typically would assume a lifetime distribution for the units under study and then carry out the required analysis. One popular choice for the lifetime distribution is the family of two-parameter Weibull distributions (with scale and shape parameters) which, through a logarithmic transformation, can be transformed to the family of two-parameter extreme value distributions (with location and scale parameters). In carrying out a parametric analysis of this type, it is highly desirable to be able to test the validity of such a model assumption. A basic tool that is useful for this purpose is a quantile–quantile (QQ) plot, but in its use, the issue of the choice of plotting position arises. Here, by adopting the optimal plotting points based on Pitman closeness criterion proposed recently by Balakrishnan et al. (2010b Balakrishnan , N. , Davies , K. F. , Keating , J. P. , Mason , R. L. ( 2010b ). Computation of optimal plotting points based on Pitman Closeness with an application to goodness of fit for location-scale families. Submitted to Computational Statistics & Data Analysis.  [Google Scholar]), and referred to as simultaneous closeness probability (SCP) plotting points, we propose a correlation-type goodness of fit test for the extreme value distribution. We compute the SCP plotting points for various sample sizes and use them to determine the mean, standard deviation and critical values for the proposed correlation-type test statistic. Using these critical values, we carry out a power study, similar to the one carried out by Kinnison (1989 Kinnison , R. ( 1989 ). Correlation coefficient goodness of fit test for extreme value distribution . The American Statistician 43 : 98 – 100 .[Taylor & Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]), through which we demonstrate that the use of SCP plotting points results in better power than with the use of mean ranks as plotting points and nearly the same power as with the use of median ranks. We then demonstrate the use of the SCP plotting points and the associated correlation-type test for Weibull analysis with an illustrative example. Finally, for the sake of comparison, we also adapt two statistics proposed by Gan and Koehler (1990 Gan , F. F. , Koehler , K. J. ( 1990 ). Goodness of fit based on P-P probability plots . Technometrics 32 : 289 – 303 .[Taylor & Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]), in the context of probability–probability (PP) plots, based on SCP plotting points and compare their performance to those based on mean ranks. The empirical study also reveals that the tests from the QQ plot have better power than those from the PP plot.     

A new approximation to the distribution function of the studentized maximum root

The Studentized maximum root (SMR) distribution is useful for constructing simultaneous confidence intervals around product interaction contrasts in replicated two-way ANOVA. A three-moment approximation to the SMR distribution is proposed. The approximation requires the first three moments of the maximum root of a central Wishart matrix. These values are obtained by means of numerical integration. The accuracy of the approximation is compared to the accuracy of a two-moment approximation for selected two-way table sizes. Both approximations are reasonably accurate. The three-moment approximation is generally superior.     

On the efficiency of using the sample kurtosis in selecting optimal lpestimators

This paper examines the efficiency of thesample kurtosisin obtaining L_P estimates as an estimates of central tendency for symmetric distributions. Moreover, guidelines are established for determining an optimal value of P based on the kurtosis of the error distribution.     

Small sample study on estimators of life distributions and of mean survival times using randomly censored data

Whereas large-sample properties of the estimators of survival distributions using censored data have been studied by many authors, exact results for small samples have been difficult to obtain. In this paper we obtain the exact expression for the ath moment (a > 0) of the Bayes estimator of survival distribution using the censored data under proportional hazard model. Using the exact expression we compute the exact mean, variance and MSE of the Bayes estimator. Also two estimators ofthe mean survival time based on the Kaplan-Meier estimator and the Bayes estimator are compared for small samples under proportional hazards.     

On constructing sequences estimating the mixing distribution with applications

This paper shows that by minimizing a Chebychev norm a mixing distribution can be constructed which converges weakly to the true mixing distribution with probability one. Deely and Kruse (1968) established a similar result for the supremum norm. For both norms the constructed mixing distribution is computed by solving a linear programming problem, but this problem is considerably smaller when the Chebychev norm is used. Thus a suitable mixing distribution can be constructed from solving a linear programming problem with considerably less computational work than was previously known. To illustrate the application of this simpler procedure it is applied to derive nonparametric empirical Bayes estimates in a simulation study. Some density estimates are also illustrated.     

Consistency of the normal equations

This note provides an alternative proof of consistency of the normal equations by appealing to well-known results in linear programming.