You are currently viewing a new version of our website. To view the old version click .

Stats

Stats is an international, peer-reviewed, open access journal on statistical science published quarterly online by MDPI.
The journal focuses on methodological and theoretical papers in statistics, probability, stochastic processes and innovative applications of statistics in all scientific disciplines including biological and biomedical sciences, medicine, business, economics and social sciences, physics, data science and engineering.
Quartile Ranking JCR - Q3 (Statistics and Probability | Mathematics, Interdisciplinary Applications)

All Articles (508)

  • Communication
  • Open Access

The paper shows an alternative perspective of the reduced chi-square as a measure of the goodness of fitting methods. The reduced chi-square is given by the ratio of the fitting over the propagation errors, that is, a universal relationship that holds for any linearity, but not for a nonlinearly parameterized fitting model. We begin by providing the proof for the traditional examples of one-parametric fitting of a constant and the bi-parametric fitting of a linear model, and then, for the general case of any linearly multi-parameterized model. We also show that this characterization is not generally true for nonlinearly parameterized fitting. Finally, we demonstrate these theoretical developments with an application in real data from the plasma protons in the heliosphere.

1 December 2025

A constant statistical model fits eight data points with different errors: (a) when the errors are too large (overestimation), the reduced chi-square is less than 1, the fitted line that represents the average of data points (black line) does pass through all the data points or their error lines, but the variation in the fitted model (red lines) is small compared to the size of errors, leading to a meaningless rate of good fitting. (c) When the errors are too small (underestimation), the calculated reduced chi-square is more than 1, and the fitted line does not pass through all the data points or their error lines, leading to an obvious bad fitting. (b) In the case where the errors are similar to the deviations of the data points from the model, the reduced chi-square is about 1, and the fitting is characterized as good.

Factor Analysis Biplots for Continuous, Binary and Ordinal Data

  • Marina Valdés-Rodríguez,
  • Laura Vicente-González and
  • José L. Vicente-Villardón

This article presents biplots derived from factor analysis of correlation matrices for both continuous and ordinal data. It introduces biplots specifically designed for factor analysis, detailing the geometric interpretation for each data type and providing an algorithm to compute biplot coordinates from the factorization of correlation matrices. The theoretical developments are illustrated using a real dataset that explores the relationship between volunteering, political ideology, and civic engagement in Spain.

25 November 2025

A Copula-Based Model for Analyzing Bivariate Offense Data

  • Dimuthu Fernando and
  • Wimarsha Jayanetti

We developed a class of bivariate integer-valued time series models using copula theory. Each count time series is modeled as a Markov chain, with serial dependence characterized through copula-based transition probabilities for Poisson and Negative Binomial marginals. Cross-sectional dependence is modeled via a bivariate Gaussian copula, allowing for both positive and negative correlations and providing a flexible dependence structure. Model parameters are estimated using likelihood-based inference, where the bivariate Gaussian copula integral is evaluated through standard randomized Monte Carlo methods. The proposed approach is illustrated through an application to offense data from New South Wales, Australia, demonstrating its effectiveness in capturing complex dependence patterns.

19 November 2025

In an infinite-/super-population (SP) setup, regression analysis of longitudinal data, which involves repeated responses and covariates collected from a sample of independent individuals or correlated individuals belonging to a cluster such as a household/family, has been intensively studied in the statistics literature over the last three decades. In general, a longitudinal, such as an auto-correlation structure for repeated responses for an individual or a two-way cluster–longitudinal correlation structure for repeated responses from the individuals belonging to a cluster/household, are exploited to obtain consistent and efficient regression estimates. However, as opposed to the SP setup, a similar regression analysis for a finite population (FP)-based longitudinal or clustered longitudinal data using a survey sample (SS) taken from the FP-based on a suitable sampling design becomes complex, which requires first defining the FP regression and correlation (both longitudinal and/or clustered) parameters and then estimating them using appropriate sampling weighted-design unbiased (SWDU) estimating equations. The finite sampling inferences, such as predictions of longitudinal changes in FP totals, would become much more complex, meaning that it would be necessary to predict the non-sampled totals after accommodating the longitudinal and/or clustered longitudinal correlation structures. Our objective in this paper is to deal with this complex FP prediction inference by developing a design cum model (DCM)-based estimation approach. Two competitive FP total predictors, namely design-assisted model-based (DAMB) and design cum model-based (DCMB) predictors are compared using an intensive simulation study. The regression and correlation parameters involved in these prediction functions are optimally estimated using the proposed DCM-based approach.

18 November 2025

News & Conferences

Issues

Open for Submission

Editor's Choice

Get Alerted

Add your email address to receive forthcoming issues of this journal.

XFacebookLinkedIn
Stats - ISSN 2571-905X