Asymptotic expansions in non-linear renewal theory

We obtain first order asymptotic expansions for the distribution of the excess of a standard normal random walk over a curved boundary and the error probabilities of some repeated significance tests. The key step in the analysis is an asymptotic expansion for the conditional probability that the random walk has not crossed the boundary before the N step, given that it is near the boundary after the n^th step.     

Estimation in a Multivariable Two-Phase Regression

A likelihood approach is considered for the problems of estimating the changepoint and other parameters in a multivariable two-phase regression.Methods for finding the maximum likelihood estimates are given for the cases when the covariance matrix is known, and unknown.The distribution of the usual likelihood ratio test statistic is Investigated using simulations, and a Monte-Carlo aporoach is suggested for testing for the existence of a change-point.Numerical1 Illistrute aie provided.     

Estimation of the parameters of a regression model with a multivariate t error variable

This paper deals with a regression model for several vari¬ables under the assumption that the errors have a multivariate t-distribution. The parameters of the model, the regression parameters, as well as the scale parameters and the degress of freedom of the error variable are estimated and the estimation procedure is illustrated by a numerical example, Also, the prop¬erties of the estimators and tests for the regression parameters are discussed.     

An alternative to the kolmogorov-smirnov test for goodness of fit

A test is proposed which requires a better fit in the extremes of a distribution than the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test for H₀. not to be rejected. Critical values are calculated for sample sizes up to 100, and approximate critical values are found for larger samples. The power of the test is obtained for a number of distributions, and it is shown that the test is more powerful than some existing tests for a wide range of cases     

On the asymptotic distribution of an estimate of the change point in a failure rate

The failure rate r(t) is assumed to have the shape of the"first"part of the"bathtub"model, i.e.r(t) is non-increasing for t<r and is constant for t> r. Asymptotic distribution of one of the estimates proposed earlier has been investigated in this paper. This leads to a test for the hypothesis HQ r<r ₀ vs H :r>r (where TQ > 0). Asymptotic expression for the power of this test under Pitman alternatives is derived. Some simulations are reported.     

Nonparametric Bayes factors based on empirical likelihood ratios

Bayes methodology provides posterior distribution functions based on parametric likelihoods adjusted for prior distributions. A distribution-free alternative to the parametric likelihood is use of empirical likelihood (EL) techniques, well known in the context of nonparametric testing of statistical hypotheses. Empirical likelihoods have been shown to exhibit many of the properties of conventional parametric likelihoods. In this paper, we propose and examine Bayes factors (BF) methods that are derived via the EL ratio approach. Following Kass and Wasserman (1995), we consider Bayes factors type decision rules in the context of standard statistical testing techniques. We show that the asymptotic properties of the proposed procedure are similar to the classical BF's asymptotic operating characteristics. Although we focus on hypothesis testing, the proposed approach also yields confidence interval estimators of unknown parameters. Monte Carlo simulations were conducted to evaluate the theoretical results as well as to demonstrate the power of the proposed test.     

A Nonstochastic Interpretation of Reported Significance Levels

Tests of significance are often made in situations where the standard assumptions underlying the probability calculations do not hold. As a result, the reported significance levels become difficult to interpret. This article sketches an alternative interpretation of a reported significance level, valid in considerable generality. This level locates the given data set within the spectrum of other data sets derived from the given one by an appropriate class of transformations. If the null hypothesis being tested holds, the derived data sets should be equivalent to the original one. Thus, a small reported significance level indicates an unusual data set. This development parallels that of randomization tests, but there is a crucial technical difference: our approach involves permuting observed residuals; the classical randomization approach involves permuting unobservable, or perhaps nonexistent, stochastic disturbance terms.     

Testing for a Unit Root in a Time Series With a Changing Mean

This study considers testing for a unit root in a time series characterized by a structural change in its mean level. My approach follows the “intervention analysis” of Box and Tiao (1975) in the sense that I consider the change as being exogenous and as occurring at a known date. Standard unit-root tests are shown to be biased toward nonrejection of the hypothesis of a unit root when the full sample is used. Since tests using split sample regressions usually have low power, I design test statistics that allow the presence of a change in the mean of the series under both the null and alternative hypotheses. The limiting distribution of the statistics is derived and tabulated under the null hypothesis of a unit root. My analysis is illustrated by considering the behavior of various univariate time series for which the unit-root hypothesis has been advanced in the literature. This study complements that of Perron (1989), which considered time series with trends.