12 December 2024

Scott L Zeger - Collected Quotes

"Longitudinal data sets are comprised of repeated observations of an outcome and a set of covariates for each of many subjects. One objective of statistical analysis is to describe the marginal expectation of the outcome variable as a function of the covariates while accounting for the correlation among the repeated observations for a given subject." (Scott L Zeger & Kung-Yee Liang, "Longitudinal Data Analysis for Discrete and Continuous Outcomes", Biometrics Vol. 42(1), 1986)

"Longitudinal data sets in which the outcome variable cannot be transformed to be Gaussian are more difficult to analyze for two reasons. First, simple models for the conditional expectation of the outcome do not imply equally simple models for the marginal expectation, as is the case for Gaussian data. Hence, the analyst must choose to model either the marginal or conditional expectation. Second, likelihood analyses often lead to estimators of the regression coefficients which are consistent only when the time dependence is correctly specified." (Scott L Zeger & Kung-Yee Liang, "Longitudinal Data Analysis for Discrete and Continuous Outcomes", Biometrics Vol. 42(1), 1986)

"Statistical models are sometimes misunderstood in epidemiology. Statistical models for data are never true. The question whether a model is true is irrelevant. A more appropriate question is whether we obtain the correct scientific conclusion if we pretend that the process under study behaves according to a particular statistical model." (Scott Zeger, "Statistical reasoning in epidemiology", American Journal of Epidemiology, 1991)

"Statistical models for data are never true. The question whether a model is true is irrelevant. A more appropriate question is whether we obtain the correct scientific conclusion if we pretend that the process under study behaves according to a particular statistical model." (Scott Zeger, "Statistical reasoning in epidemiology", American Journal of Epidemiology, 1991)

"Statistical reasoning is based upon two simple precepts: (1) that natural processes can usefully be described by stochastic models and (2) that by studying apparently haphazard collections of autonomous individuals, one can discover, at a higher level, systematic patterns of potential scientific import." (Scott Zeger, "Statistical reasoning in epidemiology", American Journal of Epidemiology, 1991)

"The rise of statistical reasoning was a key step in the birth of many empirical sciences, especially epidemiology. The ability to focus on the aggregate behavior amidst apparently chaotic variation across autonomous individuals has dramatically increased our understanding of disease processes that affect the health of the public. Simple statistical models based upon the laws of probability provide the language for this population perspective." (Scott Zeger, "Statistical reasoning in epidemiology", American Journal of Epidemiology, 1991)

"Longitudinal data comprise repeated observations over time on each of many individuals. Longitudinal data are in contrast to cross-sectional data where only a single response is available for each person. The statistical analysis of longitudinal data presents special opportunities and challenges because the repeated outcomes for one individual tend to be correlated with one another." (Scott L Zeger & Kung‐Yee Liang, "An overview of methods for the analysis of longitudinal data", Statistics in medicine vol. 11, 1992)

"We have two objectives for statistical models of longitudinal data: (1) to adopt the conventional regression tools, which relate the response variables to the explanatory variables; and (2) to account for the within subject correlation." (Scott L Zeger & Kung‐Yee Liang, "An overview of methods for the analysis of longitudinal data", Statistics in medicine vol. 11, 1992)

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