A hands-on approach to the basic principles of empirical model building. Includes a series of real-world statistical problems illustrating modeling skills and techniques. Covers models of growth and decay, systems where competition and interaction add to the complexity of the model, and discusses both classical and nonclassical data analysis methods.

An innovative discussion of building empirical models and the fitting of surfaces to data. Introduces the general philosophy of response surface methodology, and details least squares for response surface work, factorial designs at two levels, fitting second-order models, adequacy of estimation and the use of transformation, occurrence and elucidation of ridge systems, and more. Some results are presented for the first time. Includes real-life exercises, nearly all with solutions.

A solid introduction, enabling the reader to successfully formulate, construct, simplify, evaluate and use mathematical models in chemical engineering.

The authority on building empirical models and the fitting of such surfaces to data—completely updated and revised Revising and updating a volume that represents the essential source on building empirical models, George Box and Norman Draper—renowned authorities in this field—continue to set the standard with the Second Edition of Response Surfaces, Mixtures, and Ridge Analyses, providing timely new techniques, new exercises, and expanded material. A comprehensive introduction to building empirical models, this book presents the general philosophy and computational details of a number of important topics, including factorial designs at two levels; fitting first and second-order models; adequacy of estimation and the use of transformation; and occurrence and elucidation of ridge systems. Substantially rewritten, the Second Edition reflects the emergence of ridge analysis of second-order response surfaces as a very practical tool that can be easily applied in a variety of circumstances. This unique, fully developed coverage of ridge analysis—a technique for exploring quadratic response surfaces including surfaces in the space of mixture ingredients and/or subject to linear restrictions—includes MINITAB® routines for performing the calculations for any number of dimensions. Many additional figures are included in the new edition, and new exercises (many based on data from published papers) offer insight into the methods used. The exercises and their solutions provide a variety of supplementary examples of response surface use, forming an extremely important component of the text. Response Surfaces, Mixtures, and Ridge Analyses, Second Edition presents material in a logical and understandable arrangement and includes six new chapters covering an up-to-date presentation of standard ridge analysis (without restrictions); design and analysis of mixtures experiments; ridge analysis methods when there are linear restrictions in the experimental space including the mixtures experiments case, with or without further linear restrictions; and canonical reduction of second-order response surfaces in the foregoing general case. Additional features in the new edition include: New exercises with worked answers added throughout An extensive revision of Chapter 5: Blocking and Fractionating 2k Designs Additional discussion on the projection of two-level designs into lower dimensional spaces This is an ideal reference for researchers as well as a primary text for Response Surface Methodology graduate-level courses and a supplementary text for Design of Experiments courses at the upper-undergraduate and beginning-graduate levels.

A hands-on approach to the basic principles of empirical model building. Includes a series of real-world statistical problems illustrating modeling skills and techniques. Covers models of growth and decay, systems where competition and interaction add to the complexity of the model, and discusses both classical and nonclassical data analysis methods.

Empirical research is carried out in a cyclic way: approaching a research area bottom-up, data lead to interpretations and ideally to the abstraction of laws, on the basis of which a theory can be derived. Deductive research is based on a theory, on the basis of which hypotheses can be formulated and tested against the background of empirical data. Looking at the state-of-the-art in translation studies, either theories as well as models are designed or empirical data are collected and interpreted. However, the final step is still lacking: so far, empirical data has not lead to the formulation of theories or models, whereas existing theories and models have not yet been comprehensively tested with empirical methods. This publication addresses these issues from several perspectives: multi-method product- as well as process-based research may gain insights into translation as well as interpreting phenomena. These phenomena may include cognitive and organizational processes, procedures and strategies, competence and performance, translation properties and universals, etc. Empirical findings about the deeper structures of translation and interpreting will reduce the gap between translation and interpreting practice and model and theory building. Furthermore, the availability of more large-scale empirical testing triggers the development of models and theories concerning translation and interpreting phenomena and behavior based on quantifiable, replicable and transparent data.

This instructional book showcases techniques to parameterise human agents in empirical agent-based models (ABM). In doing so, it provides a timely overview of key ABM methodologies and the most innovative approaches through a variety of empirical applications. It features cutting-edge research from leading academics and practitioners, and will provide a guide for characterising and parameterising human agents in empirical ABM. In order to facilitate learning, this text shares the valuable experiences of other modellers in particular modelling situations. Very little has been published in the area of empirical ABM, and this contributed volume will appeal to graduate-level students and researchers studying simulation modeling in economics, sociology, ecology, and trans-disciplinary studies, such as topics related to sustainability. In a similar vein to the instruction found in a cookbook, this text provides the empirical modeller with a set of 'recipes' ready to be implemented. Agent-based modeling (ABM) is a powerful, simulation-modeling technique that has seen a dramatic increase in real-world applications in recent years. In ABM, a system is modeled as a collection of autonomous decision-making entities called “agents.” Each agent individually assesses its situation and makes decisions on the basis of a set of rules. Agents may execute various behaviors appropriate for the system they represent—for example, producing, consuming, or selling. ABM is increasingly used for simulating real-world systems, such as natural resource use, transportation, public health, and conflict. Decision makers increasingly demand support that covers a multitude of indicators that can be effectively addressed using ABM. This is especially the case in situations where human behavior is identified as a critical element. As a result, ABM will only continue its rapid growth. This is the first volume in a series of books that aims to contribute to a cultural change in the community of empirical agent-based modelling. This series will bring together representational experiences and solutions in empirical agent-based modelling. Creating a platform to exchange such experiences allows comparison of solutions and facilitates learning in the empirical agent-based modelling community. Ultimately, the community requires such exchange and learning to test approaches and, thereby, to develop a robust set of techniques within the domain of empirical agent-based modelling. Based on robust and defendable methods, agent-based modelling will become a critical tool for research agencies, decision making and decision supporting agencies, and funding agencies. This series will contribute to more robust and defendable empirical agent-based modelling.