Only for ZGSM (ETH D-MATH and UZH I-MATH) doctoral students. The latter need to register at myStudies and then send an email to info@zgsm.ch with their name, course number and student ID. Please see https://zgsm.math.uzh.ch/index.php?id=forum0
Introduction to the Bayesian approach to statistics: decision theory, prior distributions, hierarchical Bayes models, empirical Bayes, Bayesian tests and model selection, empirical Bayes, Laplace approximation, Monte Carlo and Markov chain Monte Carlo methods.
Learning objective
Students understand the conceptual ideas behind Bayesian statistics and are familiar with common techniques used in Bayesian data analysis.
Content
Topics that we will discuss are:
Difference between the frequentist and Bayesian approach (decision theory, principles), priors (conjugate priors, noninformative priors, Jeffreys prior), tests and model selection (Bayes factors, hyper-g priors for regression),hierarchical models and empirical Bayes methods, computational methods (Laplace approximation, Monte Carlo and Markov chain Monte Carlo methods)
Lecture notes
A script will be available in English.
Literature
Christian Robert, The Bayesian Choice, 2nd edition, Springer 2007.
A. Gelman et al., Bayesian Data Analysis, 3rd edition, Chapman & Hall (2013).
Additional references will be given in the course.
Prerequisites / Notice
Familiarity with basic concepts of frequentist statistics and with basic concepts of probability theory (random variables, joint and conditional distributions, laws of large numbers and central limit theorem) will be assumed.
Competencies
Subject-specific Competencies
Concepts and Theories
assessed
Techniques and Technologies
assessed
Performance assessment
Performance assessment information (valid until the course unit is held again)
Performance assessment as a semester course