Comparative Study of Clustering-Based Outliers Detection Methods in Circular-Circular Regression Model

This paper is a comparative study of several algorithms for detecting multiple outliers in circular-circular regression model based on the clustering algorithms. Three measures of similarity based on the circular distance were used to obtain a cluster tree using the agglomerative hierarchical methods. A stopping rule for the cluster tree based on the mean direction and circular standard deviation of the tree height was used as the cutoff point and classifier to the cluster group that exceeded the stopping rule as potential outliers. The performances of the algorithms have been demonstrated using the simulation studies that consider several outlier scenarios with a certain degree of contamination. Application to real data using wind data and a simulated data set are given for illustrative purposes. Thus, it has been found that Satari’s algorithm (S-SL algorithm) performs well for any values of sample size n and error concentration parameter. The algorithms are good in identifying outliers which are not limited to one or few outliers only, but the presence of multiple outliers at one time.

Kernel Partial Least Square Regression with High Resistance to Multiple Outliers and Bad Leverage Points on Near-Infrared Spectral Data Analysis

Multivariate statistical analysis such as partial least square regression (PLSR) is the common data processing technique used to handle high-dimensional data space on near-infrared (NIR) spectral datasets. The PLSR is useful to tackle the multicollinearity and heteroscedasticity problem that can be commonly found in such data space. With the problem of the nonlinear structure in the original input space, the use of the classical PLSR model might not be appropriate. In addition, the contamination of multiple outliers and high leverage points (HLPs) in the dataset could further damage the model. Generally, HLPs contain both good leverage points (GLPs) and bad leverage points (BLPs); therefore, in this case, removing the BLPs seems relevant since it has a significant impact on the parameter estimates and can slow down the convergence process. On the other hand, the GLPs provide a good efficiency in the model calibration process; thus, they should not be eliminated. In this study, robust alternatives to the existing kernel partial least square (KPLS) regression, which are called the kernel partial robust GM6-estimator (KPRGM6) regression and the kernel partial robust modified GM6-estimator (KPRMGM6) regression are introduced. The nonlinear solution on PLSR was handled through kernel-based learning by nonlinearly projecting the original input data matrix into a high-dimensional feature mapping that corresponded to the reproducing kernel Hilbert spaces (RKHS). To increase the robustness, the improvements on GM6 estimators are presented with the nonlinear PLSR. Based on the investigation using several artificial dataset scenarios from Monte Carlo simulations and two sets from the near-infrared (NIR) spectral dataset, the proposed robust KPRMGM6 is found to be superior to the robust KPRGM6 and non-robust KPLS.

Evaluating Robust Scale Transformation Methods With Multiple Outlying Common Items Under IRT True Score Equating

Item parameter estimates of a common item on a new test form may change abnormally due to reasons such as item overexposure or change of curriculum. A common item, whose change does not fit the pattern implied by the normally behaved common items, is defined as an outlier. Although improving equating accuracy, detecting and eliminating of outliers may cause a content imbalance among common items. Robust scale transformation methods have recently been proposed to solve this problem when only one outlier is present in the data, although it is not uncommon to see multiple outliers in practice. In this simulation study, the authors examined the robust scale transformation methods under conditions where there were multiple outlying common items. Results indicated that the robust scale transformation methods could reduce the influences of multiple outliers on scale transformation and equating. The robust methods performed similarly to a traditional outlier detection and elimination method in terms of reducing the influence of outliers while keeping adequate content balance.