Regression Models for Response with Right-skewed Distribution

Methodology ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 97-105
Author(s):  
Rodrigo Ferrer ◽  
Antonio Pardo

Abstract. In a recent paper, Ferrer and Pardo (2014) tested several distribution-based methods designed to assess when test scores obtained before and after an intervention reflect a statistically reliable change. However, we still do not know how these methods perform from the point of view of false negatives. For this purpose, we have simulated change scenarios (different effect sizes in a pre-post-test design) with distributions of different shapes and with different sample sizes. For each simulated scenario, we generated 1,000 samples. In each sample, we recorded the false-negative rate of the five distribution-based methods with the best performance from the point of view of the false positives. Our results have revealed unacceptable rates of false negatives even with effects of very large size, starting from 31.8% in an optimistic scenario (effect size of 2.0 and a normal distribution) to 99.9% in the worst scenario (effect size of 0.2 and a highly skewed distribution). Therefore, our results suggest that the widely used distribution-based methods must be applied with caution in a clinical context, because they need huge effect sizes to detect a true change. However, we made some considerations regarding the effect size and the cut-off points commonly used which allow us to be more precise in our estimates.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 169-194
Author(s):  
Marta Kajzer-Wietrzny ◽  
Ilmari Ivaska

Empirical Translation Studies have recently extended the scope of research to other forms of constrained and mediated communication, including bilingual communication, editing, and intralingual translation. Despite the diversity of factors accounted for so far, this new strand of research is yet to take the leap into intermodal comparisons. In this paper we look at Lexical Diversity (LD), which under different guises, has been studied both within Translation Studies (TS) and Second Language Acquisition (SLA). LD refers to the rate of word repetition, and vocabulary size and depth, and previous research indicates that translated and non-native language tends to be less lexically diverse. There is, however, no study that would investigate both varieties within a unified methodological framework. The study reported here looks at LD in spoken and written modes of constrained and non-constrained language. In a two-step analysis involving Exploratory Factor Analysis and linear mixed-effects regression models we find interpretations to be least lexically diverse and written non-constrained texts to be most diverse. Speeches delivered impromptu are less diverse than those read out loud and the non-constrained texts are more sensitive to such delivery-related differences than the constrained ones.


2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (5) ◽  
pp. 1017-1038
Author(s):  
V.V. Smirnov

Subject. The article investigates financial flows. Objectives. The study is to determine directions of financial flows in global social and economic entities. Methods. I rely upon the systems approach and methods of descriptive statistics. Results. The article illustrates the importance of national interests in financial flows of global social and economic entities. I emphasize that finance is a factor determining the importance of national interests. Finance mirrors the national development and opportunities of a social and economic entity to protect its sovereignty. Sustainable development seems to be the ground for solving any issues of national interests as part of financial flows of social and economic entities. This may be feasible through fund raising. I determined directions of financial flows streaming to socialist and capitalist social and economic entities. In Russia capitalist social and economic entities emerge due to a positively-skewed distribution of values around the average growth rate of direct investment in non-financial assets and portfolio investment, and a negatively-skewed distribution, i.e. military spending, inflation, fiscal revenue and general reserves net of gold. The article highlights that Russia and China have similar economic views on poverty and equality. Conclusions and Relevance. As global economic ties transform and controversies concerning the world order escalate, capitalist economies disregard the specifics of the social and economic paradigm and national interests of other countries. Such controversies can be eliminated if multiple economic interests are simplified. Sustainable development and respective goals seem to offer a solution to national interests as part of financial flows of social and economic entities. The findings unveil opportunities for exercising national interests in global social and economic entities by regulating a source of financial flows, generating new competencies for managerial decision-making on sustainable development goals.


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