The existence of maximum likelihood estimates in the Bradley-Terry model and its extensions
Statistics Theory
2007-06-13 v1 Statistics Theory
Abstract
In the Bradley-Terry model for paired comparisons, and its extensions to include order effects and ties, the maximum likelihood estimates of probabilities of certain outcomes can be 0 or 1 under certain data configurations. This poses problems for standard estimation methods. In this paper, we give algorithms for identifying the outcomes with estimated probability 0 or 1, and indicate how the remaining probabilities may be estimated and summarized.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.math/0412232,
title = {The existence of maximum likelihood estimates in the Bradley-Terry model and its extensions},
author = {Kenneth Butler and John T. Whelan},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:math/0412232},
year = {2007}
}
Comments
27 pages, LaTeX; later version of Dalhousie University Technical Report DALTR-00-1