Topics in the Investigation of Linear Relations Fitted by the Method of Least Squares

Abstract

Summary Various topics are reviewed: the effect of modern computers on statistical calculation; analysis by vector components rather than analysis merely of variance; “stepwise regression”; testing goodness of fit by examining residuals. Possible alternatives to the method of least squares appropriate when the distribution of errors has long tails, and computation of the likelihood function resulting from a Pearson Type VII distribution of errors, are considered. Some of the methods discussed are illustrated by study of several sets of observations already well known in the literature.