Practice Exercises
Exercises
True or False (Circle T or F)
T F 1. When estimating the parameters of the logistic
model, least squares estimation is the preferred
method of estimation.
T F 2. Two alternative maximum likelihood approaches
are called unconditional and conditional meth-
ods of estimation.
T F 3. The conditional approach is preferred if the
number of parameters in one’s model is small
relative to the number of subjects in one’s data
set.
T F 4. Conditional ML estimation should be used to
estimate logistic model parameters if matching
has been carried out in one’s study.
T F 5. Unconditional ML estimation gives unbiased
results always.
T F 6. The likelihood function L(u) represents the
joint probability of observing the data that has
been collected for analysis.
T F 7. The maximum likelihood method maximizes
the function ln L(u).
T F 8. The likelihood function formulae for both the
unconditional and conditional approaches are
the same.
T F 9. The maximized likelihood valueLð^uÞis used for
confidence interval estimation of parameters in
the logistic model.
T F 10. The likelihood ratio test is the preferred method
for testing hypotheses about parameters in the
logistic model.
Test True or False (Circle T or F)
T F 1. Maximum likelihood estimation is preferred to
least squares estimation for estimating the
parameters of the logistic and other nonlinear
models.
T F 2. If discriminant function analysis is used to esti-
mate logistic model parameters, biased esti-
mates can be obtained that result in estimated
odds ratios that are too high.
T F 3. In a case-control study involving 1,200 subjects,
a logistic model involving 1 exposure variable,
3 potential confounders, and 3 potential effect
modifiers is to be estimated. Assuming no
matching has been done, the preferred method
124 4. Maximum Likelihood Techniques: An Overview