Related papers: A Scalable Parametric Item Calibration Engine (SPI…
Multivariate Item Response Theory (MIRT) is sought-after widely by applied researchers looking for interpretable (sparse) explanations underlying response patterns in questionnaire data. There is, however, an unmet demand for such sparsity…
This paper introduces a framework for speeding up Bayesian inference conducted in presence of large datasets. We design a Markov chain whose transition kernel uses an (unknown) fraction of (fixed size) of the available data that is randomly…
Informed Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods have been proposed as scalable solutions to Bayesian posterior computation on high-dimensional discrete state spaces, but theoretical results about their convergence behavior in general…
Although Large language Model (LLM)-powered information extraction (IE) systems have shown impressive capabilities, current fine-tuning paradigms face two major limitations: high training costs and difficulties in aligning with LLM…
Sparse coding aims to model data vectors as sparse linear combinations of basis elements, but a majority of related studies are restricted to continuous data without spatial or temporal structure. A new model-based sparse coding (MSC)…
We develop a scalable multi-step Monte Carlo algorithm for inference under a large class of nonparametric Bayesian models for clustering and classification. Each step is "embarrassingly parallel" and can be implemented using the same Markov…
There has been considerable interest in making Bayesian inference more scalable. In big data settings, most literature focuses on reducing the computing time per iteration, with less focused on reducing the number of iterations needed in…
Data-driven model discovery (DDMD) algorithms are powerful tools for extracting interpretable symbolic models from data. However, identifying the model that best balances goodness-of-fit and sparsity is often a laborious process requiring…
Calibration of individual based models (IBMs), successful in modeling complex ecological dynamical systems, is often performed only ad-hoc. Bayesian inference can be used for both parameter estimation and uncertainty quantification, but its…
We propose a new sparse estimation method, termed MIC (Minimum approximated Information Criterion), for generalized linear models (GLM) in fixed dimensions. What is essentially involved in MIC is the approximation of the $\ell_0$-norm with…
Scoring systems are classification models that only require users to add, subtract and multiply a few meaningful numbers to make a prediction. These models are often used because they are practical and interpretable. In this paper, we…
Item response theory (IRT) models for categorical response data are widely used in the analysis of educational data, computerized adaptive testing, and psychological surveys. However, most IRT models rely on both the assumption that…
In this paper we consider sparse and identifiable linear latent variable (factor) and linear Bayesian network models for parsimonious analysis of multivariate data. We propose a computationally efficient method for joint parameter and model…
Item Response Theory (IRT) is a ubiquitous model for understanding human behaviors and attitudes based on their responses to questions. Large modern datasets offer opportunities to capture more nuances in human behavior, potentially…
We propose a Multi-step Screening Procedure (MSP) for the recovery of sparse linear models in high-dimensional data. This method is based on a repeated small penalty strategy that quickly converges to an estimate within a few iterations.…
Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) samplers are numerical methods for drawing samples from a given target probability distribution. We discuss one particular MCMC sampler, the MALA-within-Gibbs sampler, from the theoretical and practical…
This work introduces a Bayesian methodology for fitting large discrete graphical models with spike-and-slab priors to encode sparsity. We consider a quasi-likelihood approach that enables node-wise parallel computation resulting in reduced…
Item Response Theory (IRT) models aim to assess latent abilities of $n$ examinees along with latent difficulty characteristics of $m$ test items from categorical data that indicates the quality of their corresponding answers. Classical…
In this paper we present the SPICE approach for sparse parameter estimation in a framework that unifies it with other hyperparameter-free methods, namely LIKES, SLIM and IAA. Specifically, we show how the latter methods can be interpreted…
Estimating the size of hidden populations using Multiple Systems Estimation (MSE) is a critical task in quantitative sociology; however, practical application is often hindered by imperfect administrative data and computational constraints.…