Aspects of parameter estimation in ascertainment sampling schemes. 1982

W J Ewens

It has recently been suggested that ascertainment sampling estimation procedures commonly used are not fully efficient in that the number of unobserved families is an unknown parameter that should be estimated (contrary to common practice) along with the genetic parameters for fully efficient estimation. It has also been suggested that the frequency distribution of family size contains unknown parameters that should similarly be estimated with the genetic parameters. These two suggestions are considered in this paper. It is shown by means of an equivalence theorem that in both cases the estimates and their variances obtained by adopting the suggested procedure are identical with those found by ignoring the unobserved families and by ignoring the family-size distribution. This demonstration leads to a formal justification of further procedures, in particular: (1) use of "method-of-moments" estimators, (2) ignoring the ascertainment scheme in some cases when estimating parameters, and (3) forming estimates of parameters when various parts of the data are obtained by different ascertainment schemes.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008957 Models, Genetic Theoretical representations that simulate the behavior or activity of genetic processes or phenomena. They include the use of mathematical equations, computers, and other electronic equipment. Genetic Models,Genetic Model,Model, Genetic
D011336 Probability The study of chance processes or the relative frequency characterizing a chance process. Probabilities
D005191 Family Characteristics Size and composition of the family. Family Size,Couples,Family Demography,Family Life Surveys,Family Size, Average,Family Size, Completed,Family Size, Desired,Family Size, Expected,Family Size, Ideal,Family and Household,Generations,Head of Household,Households,One-Person Household,Average Family Size,Average Family Sizes,Completed Family Size,Completed Family Sizes,Demography, Family,Desired Family Size,Desired Family Sizes,Expected Family Size,Expected Family Sizes,Family Characteristic,Family Demographies,Family Life Survey,Family Sizes,Family Sizes, Ideal,Household,Household Head,Household Heads,Household and Family,Household, One-Person,Ideal Family Size,Ideal Family Sizes,One Person Household,One-Person Households,Survey, Family Life
D005826 Genetics, Medical A subdiscipline of human genetics which entails the reliable prediction of certain human disorders as a function of the lineage and/or genetic makeup of an individual or of any two parents or potential parents. Medical Genetics
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D012494 Sampling Studies Studies in which a number of subjects are selected from all subjects in a defined population. Conclusions based on sample results may be attributed only to the population sampled. Probability Sample,Probability Samples,Sample, Probability,Samples, Probability,Sampling Study,Studies, Sampling,Study, Sampling
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