Modeling Count Data

Dr. Joseph Hilbe

Aim of Course:

This course deals with regression models for count data; i.e. models with a response or dependent variable data in the form of a count or rate. A count is understood as the number of times an event occurs; a rate as how many events occur within a specific area or time interval. The course will cover Poisson regression, the foundation for modeling counts, as well as extensions and modifications to the basic model. Extensions are required when the assumptions underlying the Poisson model are violated. Negative binomial regression is the foremost method used to extend the Poisson model. Since Poisson assumptions are rarely met in practice, substantial attention will be devoted to the negative binomial model and its variants.

Who Should Take This Course:

Analysts and researchers in a wide variety of fields who are concerned with modeling counts and rates.

For those enrolled in Professional Advancement Programs, this is a required or elective course in the following Programs:

• Biostatistics (epidemiology) - elective
• Biostatistics (controlled trials) - elective
• Statistics for Social Sciences - elective

Course Program:

The course is structured as follows

The Instructor:

Dr. Joseph M. Hilbe is an Emeritus Professor at the University of Hawaii, and since 1992 has served as Adjunct Professor of Statistics at Arizona State University. In January 2007 he was also selected as a Solar System Ambassador by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory at California Institute of Technology, a position he continues to hold. Among other journal editorships, he has been Software Reviews Editor for The American Statistician since 1997. Professor Hilbe is an elected Fellow of both the American Statistical Association and Royal Statistical Society, and is an elected member (Fellow) of the International Statistical Institute. An author of numerous published statistical procedures, book chapters, and journal articles, Dr. Hilbe authored Negative Binomial Regression (2007, Cambridge University Press) and, with James Hardin, is author of Generalized Estimating Equations (2003, Chapman & Hall/CRC) and Generalized Linear Models and Extensions (2001, 2007, Stata Press).

Organization of the Course:

The course takes place over the internet, at statistics.com. During each course week, you participate at times of your own choosing - there are no set times when you must be online. Course participants will be given access to a private discussion board. In class discussions led by the instructor, you can post questions, seek clarification, and interact with your fellow students and the instructor. The course is scheduled to take place over 4 weeks, and typically requires 10-15 hours per week. At the beginning of each week, you receive the relevant material, in addition to answers to exercises from the previous session. During the week, you are expected to go over the course materials and work through exercises. Discussion among participants is encouraged. The instructor will provide answers and comments.

Certificates and Grades:

You may be interested only in learning the material presented, and not be concerned with grades or certificates. Or you may be enrolled in a statistics.com Professional Advancement Program that requires demonstration of proficiency in the subject, in which case your work will be assessed for purposes of issuing a grade. Or you may require only a "Certificate of Course Completion," along with professional development credit in the form of Continuing Education Units (CEU's). As you begin the class, you will be asked to specify your category.

Credit:

This course offers continuing education units (CEU's). For those successfully completing the course (generally this means marks of 50% or better on the homework), 5.0 CEU's and a certificate will be issued by statistics.com, upon request.

Dates:

Oct. 24 - Nov. 21, 2008
Click here to be notified of future course offerings.

Participants gain access to the online materials on the first day of the course, and typically spend about 10-15 hours per week (at their convenience). You retain full access to course materials, including discussion board, for two weeks after the course closing date.

Level:

Intermediate/Advanced

Prerequisite:

The equivalent of Introduction to Statistics I: Inference for a Single Variable, and Introduction to Statistics II: Working with Bivariate Data (and, if necessary before these courses, Introduction to Statistics for Beginners or Survey of Statistics for Beginners). Some familiarity with modeling - such as that provided in Introduction to Regression or Logistic Regression will also be helpful. Categorical Data Analysis or its equivalent will also be helpful in acquainting participants with the type of data involved. For more information about prerequisites click here.

Course Text:

J. Hilbe's Negative Binomial Regression (Cambridge Univ. Press). You can order it online here.

Software:

In some lessons, you will benefit from being able to implement models in a software program that is able to do GEE. The methods covered in this course will be illustrated in Stata; reference will also be made to SAS and LogXact. Click Here for information on obtaining a free (or nominal cost) copy of various software packages for use during the course.

Registration:

Register Online - $449
Register Online (academic) - $349 (you must be affiliated with a college, university or high school)

Add $50 service fee if you require a prior invoice, or if you need to submit a purchase order or voucher, pay by wire transfer or EFT, or refund and reprocess a prior payment. Please use this printed registration form, for these and other special orders.

Note: Courses may fill up at any time and registrations are processed in the order in which they are received. Your registration will be confirmed for the first available course date, unless you specify otherwise.