Nonlinear Models
See Also
The Nonlinear Models menu allows you to fit a generalized nonlinear model. These are models that include some nonlinear parameters, but are otherwise in the form of generalized linear models.

Response variate

Specifies the name of the variate containing the response values.

Model Expressions

Lists of the names of the expressions that contain the calculations involving the nonlinear parameters. You can add a new expression to the list by either double-clicking an expression name from the Available Data list or by clicking the New button. You can edit or remove the currently selected expression by clicking on the Change or Remove buttons. You can change the order that the expressions are calculated by clicking on the Reorder button.

Nonlinear Parameters

Provides a space for you to enter the names of the nonlinear parameters that are to be estimated. The names can be separated in the list by using either a space or ','. You can specify the initial values, upper & lower bounds and step length for each parameter in the list by clicking on the Settings button.

Estimation includes linear parameters

Specifies whether the estimation includes linear parameters. If selected, you can specify the maximal model, terms to be fitted and link function to be used. Otherwise, if there are no linear parameters then you must specify identifiers for the fitted values.

Fitted Values

If the estimation does not include linear parameters in the model you can specify the identifiers to contain the fitted values for any set of values of the nonlinear parameters.

Maximal Model

If the estimation includes linear parameters then you can specify the maximal model. This allows you to specify the most complicated model that you are likely to want to consider. It may be left blank, but this may lead to subsequent inability to compare models because of data that are missing for some parameters but not for others; hence Change Model is disabled in this case.

Linear Terms for Fitted Model

If the estimation includes linear parameter then you can specify the linear terms which are to be fitted in the model.

Distribution

List of available error distributions. If you select the binomial distribution then you must supply the binomial totals in the space provided. If you choose the negative binomial distribution, you must also specify a fixed value for the aggregation parameter (the parameter k in the formula for the variance in terms of the mean: v = m + m*m/k).

Link Function

If the estimation includes linear parameters then you can select a link function from the available list. You can choose a general power link, in which case you need to specify the exponent; the logratio link, log(m / (m+k)), also requires you to specify the parameter k.

Available Data

This lists data structures appropriate to the current input field. The contents will change as you move from one field to the next. Double-click on a name to copy it to the current input field; alternatively, you can type in the name directly.

See Also