generalized linear models

Why Generalized Linear Models Have No Error Term

June 22nd, 2021 by

Even if you’ve never heard the term Generalized Linear Model, you may have run one. It’s a term for a family of models that includes logistic and Poisson regression, among others.

It’s a small leap to generalized linear models, if you already understand linear models. Many, many concepts are the same in both types of models.

But one thing that’s perplexing to many is why generalized linear models have no error term, like linear models do. (more…)


Count Models: Understanding the Log Link Function

November 12th, 2020 by

When we run a statistical model, we are in a sense creating a mathematical equation. The simplest regression model looks like this:

Yi = β0 + β1X+ εi

The left side of the equation is the sum of two parts on the right: the fixed component, β0 + β1X, and the random component, εi.

You’ll also sometimes see the equation written (more…)


Member Training: Confusing Statistical Terms

February 28th, 2020 by

Learning statistics is difficult enough; throw in some especially confusing terminology and it can feel impossible! There are many ways that statistical language can be confusing.

Some terms mean one thing in the English language, but have another (usually more specific) meaning in statistics.  (more…)


The Difference Between Link Functions and Data Transformations

September 24th, 2018 by

Generalized linear models—and generalized linear mixed models—are called generalized linear because they connect a model’s outcome to its predictors in a linear way. The function used to make this connection is called a link function. Link functions sounds like an exotic term, but they’re actually much simpler than they sound.

For example, Poisson regression (commonly used for outcomes that are counts) makes use of a natural log link function as follows:

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Member Training: Generalized Linear Models

September 3rd, 2018 by
In this webinar, we will provide an overview of generalized linear models. You may already be using them (perhaps without knowing it!).
For example, logistic regression is a type of generalized linear model that many people are already familiar with. Alternatively, maybe you’re not using them yet and you are just beginning to understand when they might be useful to you.

Member Training: The Multi-Faceted World of Residuals

July 1st, 2017 by

Most analysts’ primary focus is to check the distributional assumptions with regards to residuals. They must be independent and identically distributed (i.i.d.) with a mean of zero and constant variance.

Residuals can also give us insight into the quality of our models.

In this webinar, we’ll review and compare what residuals are in linear regression, ANOVA, and generalized linear models. Jeff will cover:

  • Which residuals — standardized, studentized, Pearson, deviance, etc. — we use and why
  • How to determine if distributional assumptions have been met
  • How to use graphs to discover issues like non-linearity, omitted variables, and heteroskedasticity

Knowing how to piece this information together will improve your statistical modeling skills.


Note: This training is an exclusive benefit to members of the Statistically Speaking Membership Program and part of the Stat’s Amore Trainings Series. Each Stat’s Amore Training is approximately 90 minutes long.

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