Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Slides: Untitled [British Petroleum], Rusty Riese

Workshop on Directional Drilling in the Rocky Mountain Region (November 13)

Presenter: Dr. Rusty Riese, Consulting Geologist, BP American Production Co.

6 slides

Abstract: For companies doing directional drilling, what are the direct and indirect costs and benefits? When is it economical and what factors does industry take into account in making the decision to utilize directional drilling?

Slides: Untitled [Western Resource Advocates], Mike Chiropolos

Workshop on Directional Drilling in the Rocky Mountain Region (November 13)

Presenter: Mike Chiropolos, Attorney, Western Resource Advocates

10 slides

Abstract: What are the environmental considerations involved with directional drilling? How should the NEPA analysis take this technology into account? When should it be analyzed as an alternative to conventional vertical drilling?

Slides: Untitled [Colorado Attorney General's Office], Carol Harmon

Workshop on Directional Drilling in the Rocky Mountain Region (November 13)

Presenter: Carol Harmon, Colorado Attorney General's Office

8 slides

Abstract: When does the State require directional drilling? Can landowners require it in Surface Use Agreements? What does Colorado's version of the accommodation doctrine mean for directional drilling?

Model Comparisons Using Information Measures, C. Mitchell Dayton

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

Methodologists have criticized the use of significance tests in the behavioral sciences but have failed to provide alternative data analysis strategies that appeal to applied researchers. For purposes of comparing alternate models for data, information-theoretic measures such as Akaike AIC have advantages in comparison with significance tests. Model-selection procedures based on a min(AIC) strategy, for example, are holistic rather than dependent upon a series of sometimes contradictory binary (accept/reject) decisions.

Using Zero-Inflated Count Regression Models To Estimate The Fertility Of U. S. Women, Dudley L. Poston Jr., Sherry L. Mckibben

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

In the modeling of count variables there is sometimes a preponderance of zero counts. This article concerns the estimation of Poisson regression models (PRM) and negative binomial regression models (NBRM) to predict the average number of children ever born (CEB) to women in the U.S. The PRM and NBRM will often under-predict zeros because they do not consider zero counts of women who are not trying to have children. The fertility of U.S. white and Mexican-origin women show that zero-inflated Poisson (ZIP) and zero-inflated negative binomial (ZINB) models perform better in many respects than the Poisson and negative binomial models. …

Test Of Homogeneity For Umbrella Alternatives In Dose-Response Relationship For Poisson Variables, Chengjie Xiong, Yan Yan, Ming Ji

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

This article concerns the testing and estimation of a dose-response effect in medical studies. We study the statistical test of homogeneity against umbrella alternatives in a sequence of Poisson distributions associated with an ordered dose variable. We propose a test similar to Cochran-Armitage’s trend test and study the asymptotic null distribution and the power of the test. We also propose an estimator to the vertex point when the umbrella pattern is confirmed and study the performance of the estimator. A real data set pertaining to the number of visible revertant colonies associated with different doses of test agents in an …

Alphabet Letter Recognition And Emergent Literacy Abilities Of Rising Kindergarten Children Living In Low-Income Families, Stephanie Wehry

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

Alphabet letter recognition item responses from 1,299 rising kindergarten children from low-income families were used to determine the dimensionality of letter recognition ability. The rising kindergarteners were enrolled in preschool classrooms implementing a research-based early literary curriculum. Item responses from the TERA-3 subtests were also analyzed. Results indicated alphabet letter recognition was unitary. The ability of boys and younger children was less than girls and older children. Child-level letter recognition was highly associated with TERA-3 measures of letter knowledge and conventions of print. Classroom-level mean letter recognition ability accounted for most of variance in classroom mean TERA-3 scores.

A Note On Mles For Normal Distribution Parameters Based On Disjoint Partial Sums Of A Random Sample, W. J. Hurley

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

Maximum likelihood estimators are computed for the parameters of a normal distribution based on disjoint partial sums of a random sample. It has application in the disaggregation of financial data.

Fitting Generalized Linear Mixed Models For Point-Referenced Spatial Data, Armin Gemperli, Penelope Vounatsou

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

Non-Gaussian point-referenced spatial data are frequently modeled using generalized linear mixed models (GLMM) with location-specific random effects. Spatial dependence can be introduced in the covariance matrix of the random effects. Maximum likelihood-based or Bayesian estimation implemented via Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) for such models is computationally demanding especially for large sample sizes because of the large number of random effects and the inversion of the covariance matrix involved in the likelihood. We review three fitting procedures, the Penalized Quasi Likelihood method, the MCMC, and the Sampling-Importance-Resampling method. They are assessed in terms of estimation accuracy, ease of implementation, and …

Conventional And Robust Paired And Independent-Samples T Tests: Type I Error And Power Rates, Katherine Fradette, H. J. Keselman, Lisa Lix, James Algina, Rand R. Wilcox

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

Monte Carlo methods were used to examine Type I error and power rates of 2 versions (conventional and robust) of the paired and independent-samples t tests under nonnormality. The conventional (robust) versions employed least squares means and variances (trimmed means and Winsorized variances) to test for differences between groups.

Jmasm9: Converting Kendall’S Tau For Correlational Or Meta-Analytic Analyses, David A. Walker

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

Expanding on past research, this study provides researchers with a detailed table for use in meta-analytic applications when engaged in assorted examinations of various r-related statistics, such as Kendall’s tau (τ) and Cohen’s d, that estimate the magnitude of experimental or observational effect. A program to convert from the lesser-used tau coefficient to other effect size indices when conducting correlational or meta-analytic analyses is presented.

P* Index Of Segregation: Distribution Under Reassignment, Charles F. Bond, F. D. Richard

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

Students of intergroup relations have measured segregation with a P^* index. In this article, we describe the distribution of this index under a stochastic model. We derive exact, closed-form expressions for the mean, variance, and skewness of P^* under random segregation. These yield equivalent expressions for a second segregation index: η². Our analytic results reveal some of the distributional properties of these indices, inform new standardizations of the indices, and enable small-sample significance testing. Two illustrative examples are presented.

A Nonparametric Fitted Test For The Behrens-Fisher Problem, Terry Hyslop, Paul J. Lupinacci

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

A nonparametric test for the Behrens-Fisher problem that is an extension of a test proposed by Fligner and Policello was developed. Empirical level and power estimates of this test are compared to those of alternative nonparametric and parametric tests through simulations. The results of our test were better than or comparable to all tests considered.

Example Of The Impact Of Weights And Design Effects On Contingency Tables And Chi-Square Analysis, David A. Walker, Denise Y. Young

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

Many national data sets used in educational research are not based on simple random sampling schemes, but instead are constructed using complex sampling designs characterized by multi-stage cluster sampling and over-sampling of some groups. Incorrect results are obtained from statistical analysis if adjustments are not made for the sampling design. This study demonstrates how the use of weights and design effects impact the results of contingency tables and chi-square analysis of data from complex sampling designs.

Random Regression Models Based On The Elliptically Contoured Distribution Assumptions With Applications To Longitudinal Data, Alfred A. Bartolucci, Shimin Zheng, Sejong Bae, Karan P. Singh

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

We generalize Lyles et al.’s (2000) random regression models for longitudinal data, accounting for both undetectable values and informative drop-outs in the distribution assumptions. Our models are constructed on the generalized multivariate theory which is based on the Elliptically Contoured Distribution (ECD). The estimation of the fixed parameters in the random regression models are invariant under the normal or the ECD assumptions. For the Human Immunodeficiency Virus Epidemiology Research Study data, ECD models fit the data better than classical normal models according to the Akaike (1974) Information Criterion. We also note that both univariate distributions of the random intercept and …

Statistical Pronouncements Ii, Jmasm Editors

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

No abstract provided.

Jmasm8: Using Sas To Perform Two-Way Analysis Of Variance Under Variance Heterogeneity, Scott J. Richter, Mark E. Payton

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

We present SAS code to implement the method proposed by Brunner et al. (1997) for performing two-way analysis of variance under variance heterogeneity.

Type I Error Rates Of Four Methods For Analyzing Data Collected In A Groups Vs Individuals Design, Stephanie Wehry, James Algina

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

Using previous work on the Behrens-Fisher problem, two approximate degrees of freedom tests, that can be used when one treatment is individually administered and one is administered to groups, were developed. Type I error rates are presented for these tests, an additional approximate degrees of freedom test developed by Myers, Dicecco, and Lorch (1981), and a mixed model test. The results indicate that the test that best controls the Type I error rate depends on the number of groups in the group-administered treatment. The mixed model test should be avoided.

Variable Selection For Poisson Regression Model, Felix Famoye, Daniel E. Rothe

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

Poisson regression is useful in modeling count data. In a study with many independent variables, it is desirable to reduce the number of variables while maintaining a model that is useful for prediction. This article presents a variable selection technique for Poisson regression models. The data used is log-linear, but the methods could be adapted to other relationships. The model parameters are estimated by the method of maximum likelihood. The use of measures of goodness-of-fit to select appropriate variables is discussed. A forward selection algorithm is presented and illustrated on a numerical data set. This algorithm performs as well if …

Bootstrapping Confidence Intervals For Robust Measures Of Association, Jason E. King

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

A Monte Carlo simulation study compared four bootstrapping procedures in generating confidence intervals for the robust Winsorized and percentage bend correlations. Results revealed the superior resiliency of the robust correlations over r, with neither outperforming the other. Unexpectedly, the bootstrapping procedures achieved roughly equivalent outcomes for each correlation.

Letters To The Editor, Jmasm Editors

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

No abstract provided.

On Treating A Survey Of Convenience Sample As A Simple Random Sample, W. Gregory Thatcher, J. Wanzer Drane

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

Threat of bias has kept many from using data gathered in less than optimal conditions. We maintain that when convenience sampling represents race and gender at nearly correct proportions and can be beneficial, as these two variables are quite often used as stratification variables. We compared a convenience sample with a proven sample. Race and Sex were nearly proportional as was found in the proven sample. We conclude that the convenience sample can be used as though it is simple random.

Semantic E-Workflow Composition, Jorge Cardoso, Amit P. Sheth

Kno.e.sis Publications

Systems and infrastructures are currently being developed to support Web services. The main idea is to encapsulate an organization's functionality within an appropriate interface and advertise it as Web services. While in some cases Web services may be utilized in an isolated form, it is normal to expect Web services to be integrated as part of workflow processes. The composition of workflow processes that model e-service applications differs from the design of traditional workflows, in terms of the number of tasks (Web services) available to the composition process, in their heterogeneity, and in their autonomy. Therefore, two problems need to …

Towards (Semi-) Automatic Generation Of Bio-Medical Ontologies, Vipul Kashyap, Cartic Ramakrishnan, Thomas Rindflesch

Kno.e.sis Publications

The design and construction of domain specific ontologies and taxonomies requires allocation of huge resources in terms of cost and time. These efforts are human intensive and we need to explore ways of minimizing human involvement and other resources. In the biomedical domain, we seek to leverage resources such as the UMLS1 Metathesaurus and NLP-based applications such as MetaMap2 in conjunction with statistical clustering techniques, to (partially) automate the process. This is expected to be useful to the team involved in developing MeSH and other biomedical taxonomies to identify gaps in the existing taxonomies, and to be able to quickly …

Fortune Cookies, Measurement Error, And Experimental Design, Greogry R. Hancock

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

This article pertains to the theoretical and practical detriments of measurement error in traditional univariate and multivariate experimental design, and points toward modern methods that facilitate greater accuracy in effect size estimates and power in hypothesis testing.

Correcting Publication Bias In Meta-Analysis: A Truncation Approach, Guillermo Montes, Bohdan S. Lotyczewski

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

Meta-analyses are increasingly used to support national policy decision making. The practical implications of publications bias in meta-analysis are discussed. Standard approaches to correct for publication bias require knowledge of the selection mechanism that leads to publication. In this study, an alternative approach is proposed based on Cohen’s corrections for a truncated normal. The approach makes less assumptions, is easy to implement, and performs well in simulations with small samples. The approach is illustrated with two published meta-analyses.

Comparison Of Viral Trajectories In Aids Studies By Using Nonparametric Mixed-Effects Models, Chin-Shang Li, Hua Liang, Ying-Hen Hsieh, Shiing-Jer Twu

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

The efficacy of antiretroviral therapies for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection can be assessed by studying the trajectory of the changing viral load with treatment time, but estimation of viral trajectory parameters by using the implicit function form of linear and nonlinear parametric models can be problematic. Using longitudinal viral load data from a clinical study of HIV-infected patients in Taiwan, we described the viral trajectories by applying a nonparametric mixed-effects model. We were then able to compare the efficacies of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and conventional therapy by using Young and Bowman’s (1995) test.

Deconstructing Arguments From The Case Against Hypothesis Testing, Shlomo S. Sawilowsky

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

The main purpose of this article is to contest the propositions that (1) hypothesis tests should be abandoned in favor of confidence intervals, and (2) science has not benefited from hypothesis testing. The minor purpose is to propose (1) descriptive statistics, graphics, and effect sizes do not obviate the need for hypothesis testing, (2) significance testing (reporting p values and leaving it to the reader to determine significance) is subjective and outside the realm of the scientific method, and (3) Bayesian and qualitative methods should be used for Bayesian and qualitative research studies, respectively.

A Critical Examination Of The Use Of Preliminary Tests In Two-Sample Tests Of Location, Kimberly T. Perry

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

This paper explores the appropriateness of testing the equality of two means using either a t test, the Welch test, or the Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test for two independent samples based on the results of using two classes of preliminary tests (i.e., tests for population variance equality and symmetry in underlying distributions).

Confidence Intervals For P(X Less Than Y) In The Exponential Case With Common Location Parameter, Ayman Baklizi

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

The problem considered is interval estimation of the stress - strength reliability R = P(Xθ and λ respectively and a common location parameter μ . Several types of asymptotic, approximate and bootstrap intervals are investigated. Performances are investigated using simulation techniques and compared in terms of attainment of the nominal confidence level, symmetry of lower and upper error rates, and expected length. Recommendations concerning their usage are given.