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Maximum Likelihood Estimation of Observer Error‐Rates Using the EM Algorithm
Author(s) -
Dawid A. P.,
Skene A. M.
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
journal of the royal statistical society: series c (applied statistics)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.205
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1467-9876
pISSN - 0035-9254
DOI - 10.2307/2346806
Subject(s) - maximum likelihood , estimation , statistics , mathematics , algorithm , maximum likelihood sequence estimation , observer (physics) , engineering , physics , systems engineering , quantum mechanics
Summary In compiling a patient record many facets are subject to errors of measurement. A model is presented which allows individual error‐rates to be estimated for polytomous facets even when the patient's “true” response is not available. The EM algorithm is shown to provide a slow but sure way of obtaining maximum likelihood estimates of the parameters of interest. Some preliminary experience is reported and the limitations of the method are described.