This book provides a unified introduction to a variety of computational algorithms for likelihood and Bayesian inference. In this second edition, I have attempted to expand the treatment of many of the techniques dis cussed, as well as include important topics such as the Metropolis algorithm and methods for assessing the convergence of a Markov chain algorithm. Prerequisites for this book include an understanding of mathematical statistics at the level of Bickel and Doksum (1977), some understanding of the Bayesian approach as in Box and Tiao (1973), experience with condi tional inference at the level of Cox and Snell (1989) and exposure to statistical models as found in McCullagh and Neider (1989). I have chosen not to present the proofs of convergence or rates of convergence since these proofs may require substantial background in Markov chain theory which is beyond the scope ofthis book. However, references to these proofs are given. There has been an explosion of papers in the area of Markov chain Monte Carlo in the last five years. I have attempted to identify key references - though due to the volatility of the field some work may have been missed.

From the reviews: The purpose of the book under review is to give a survey of methods for the Bayesian or likelihood-based analysis of data. The author distinguishes between two types of methods: the observed data methods and the data augmentation ones. The observed data methods are applied directly to the likelihood or posterior density of the observed data. The data augmentation methods make use of the special "missing" data structure of the problem. They rely on an augmentation of the data which simplifies the likelihood or posterior density. #Zentralblatt für Mathematik#

​This book is for students and researchers who have had a first year graduate level mathematical statistics course. It covers classical likelihood, Bayesian, and permutation inference; an introduction to basic asymptotic distribution theory; and modern topics like M-estimation, the jackknife, and the bootstrap. R code is woven throughout the text, and there are a large number of examples and problems. An important goal has been to make the topics accessible to a wide audience, with little overt reliance on measure theory. A typical semester course consists of Chapters 1-6 (likelihood-based estimation and testing, Bayesian inference, basic asymptotic results) plus selections from M-estimation and related testing and resampling methodology. Dennis Boos and Len Stefanski are professors in the Department of Statistics at North Carolina State. Their research has been eclectic, often with a robustness angle, although Stefanski is also known for research concentrated on measurement error, including a co-authored book on non-linear measurement error models. In recent years the authors have jointly worked on variable selection methods. ​

Mounting failures of replication in social and biological sciences give a new urgency to critically appraising proposed reforms. This book pulls back the cover on disagreements between experts charged with restoring integrity to science. It denies two pervasive views of the role of probability in inference: to assign degrees of belief, and to control error rates in a long run. If statistical consumers are unaware of assumptions behind rival evidence reforms, they can't scrutinize the consequences that affect them (in personalized medicine, psychology, etc.). The book sets sail with a simple tool: if little has been done to rule out flaws in inferring a claim, then it has not passed a severe test. Many methods advocated by data experts do not stand up to severe scrutiny and are in tension with successful strategies for blocking or accounting for cherry picking and selective reporting. Through a series of excursions and exhibits, the philosophy and history of inductive inference come alive. Philosophical tools are put to work to solve problems about science and pseudoscience, induction and falsification.

A concise, easily accessible introduction to descriptive and inferential techniques Statistical Inference: A Short Course offers a concise presentation of the essentials of basic statistics for readers seeking to acquire a working knowledge of statistical concepts, measures, and procedures. The author conducts tests on the assumption of randomness and normality, provides nonparametric methods when parametric approaches might not work. The book also explores how to determine a confidence interval for a population median while also providing coverage of ratio estimation, randomness, and causality. To ensure a thorough understanding of all key concepts, Statistical Inference provides numerous examples and solutions along with complete and precise answers to many fundamental questions, including: How do we determine that a given dataset is actually a random sample? With what level of precision and reliability can a population sample be estimated? How are probabilities determined and are they the same thing as odds? How can we predict the level of one variable from that of another? What is the strength of the relationship between two variables? The book is organized to present fundamental statistical concepts first, with later chapters exploring more advanced topics and additional statistical tests such as Distributional Hypotheses, Multinomial Chi-Square Statistics, and the Chi-Square Distribution. Each chapter includes appendices and exercises, allowing readers to test their comprehension of the presented material. Statistical Inference: A Short Course is an excellent book for courses on probability, mathematical statistics, and statistical inference at the upper-undergraduate and graduate levels. The book also serves as a valuable reference for researchers and practitioners who would like to develop further insights into essential statistical tools.

Now updated in a valuable new edition—this user-friendly book focuses on understanding the "why" of mathematical statistics Probability and Statistical Inference, Second Edition introduces key probability and statis-tical concepts through non-trivial, real-world examples and promotes the developmentof intuition rather than simple application. With its coverage of the recent advancements in computer-intensive methods, this update successfully provides the comp-rehensive tools needed to develop a broad understanding of the theory of statisticsand its probabilistic foundations. This outstanding new edition continues to encouragereaders to recognize and fully understand the why, not just the how, behind the concepts,theorems, and methods of statistics. Clear explanations are presented and appliedto various examples that help to impart a deeper understanding of theorems and methods—from fundamental statistical concepts to computational details. Additional features of this Second Edition include: A new chapter on random samples Coverage of computer-intensive techniques in statistical inference featuring Monte Carlo and resampling methods, such as bootstrap and permutation tests, bootstrap confidence intervals with supporting R codes, and additional examples available via the book's FTP site Treatment of survival and hazard function, methods of obtaining estimators, and Bayes estimating Real-world examples that illuminate presented concepts Exercises at the end of each section Providing a straightforward, contemporary approach to modern-day statistical applications, Probability and Statistical Inference, Second Edition is an ideal text for advanced undergraduate- and graduate-level courses in probability and statistical inference. It also serves as a valuable reference for practitioners in any discipline who wish to gain further insight into the latest statistical tools.

This authoritative book draws on the latest research to explore the interplay of high-dimensional statistics with optimization. Through an accessible analysis of fundamental problems of hypothesis testing and signal recovery, Anatoli Juditsky and Arkadi Nemirovski show how convex optimization theory can be used to devise and analyze near-optimal statistical inferences. Statistical Inference via Convex Optimization is an essential resource for optimization specialists who are new to statistics and its applications, and for data scientists who want to improve their optimization methods. Juditsky and Nemirovski provide the first systematic treatment of the statistical techniques that have arisen from advances in the theory of optimization. They focus on four well-known statistical problems—sparse recovery, hypothesis testing, and recovery from indirect observations of both signals and functions of signals—demonstrating how they can be solved more efficiently as convex optimization problems. The emphasis throughout is on achieving the best possible statistical performance. The construction of inference routines and the quantification of their statistical performance are given by efficient computation rather than by analytical derivation typical of more conventional statistical approaches. In addition to being computation-friendly, the methods described in this book enable practitioners to handle numerous situations too difficult for closed analytical form analysis, such as composite hypothesis testing and signal recovery in inverse problems. Statistical Inference via Convex Optimization features exercises with solutions along with extensive appendixes, making it ideal for use as a graduate text.