Evolutionary Learning of Globally Optimal Trees

Commonly used classification and regression tree methods like the CART algorithm are recursive partitioning methods that build the model in a forward stepwise search. Although this approach is known to be an efficient heuristic, the results of recursive tree methods are only locally optimal, as splits are chosen to maximize homogeneity at the next step only. An alternative way to search over the parameter space of trees is to use global optimization methods like evolutionary algorithms. The 'evtree' package implements an evolutionary algorithm for learning globally optimal classification and regression trees in R. CPU and memory-intensive tasks are fully computed in C++ while the 'partykit' package is leveraged to represent the resulting trees in R, providing unified infrastructure for summaries, visualizations, and predictions.

Bayesian Additive Models for Location, Scale, and Shape (and Beyond)

Infrastructure for estimating probabilistic distributional regression models in a Bayesian framework. The distribution parameters may capture location, scale, shape, etc. and every parameter may depend on complex additive terms (fixed, random, smooth, spatial, etc.) similar to a generalized additive model. The conceptual and computational framework is introduced in Umlauf, Klein, Zeileis (2019) and the R package in Umlauf, Klein, Simon, Zeileis (2021) .

Nested Dichotomy Logistic Regression Models

Provides functions for specifying and fitting nested dichotomy logistic regression models for a multi-category response and methods for summarising and plotting those models. Nested dichotomies are statistically independent, and hence provide an additive decomposition of tests for the overall 'polytomous' response. When the dichotomies make sense substantively, this method can be a simpler alternative to the standard 'multinomial' logistic model which compares response categories to a reference level. See: J. Fox (2016), "Applied Regression Analysis and Generalized Linear Models", 3rd Ed., ISBN 1452205663.

'vcd' Extensions and Additions

Provides additional data sets, methods and documentation to complement the 'vcd' package for Visualizing Categorical Data and the 'gnm' package for Generalized Nonlinear Models. In particular, 'vcdExtra' extends mosaic, assoc and sieve plots from 'vcd' to handle 'glm()' and 'gnm()' models and adds a 3D version in 'mosaic3d'. Additionally, methods are provided for comparing and visualizing lists of 'glm' and 'loglm' objects. This package is now a support package for the book, "Discrete Data Analysis with R" by Michael Friendly and David Meyer.

Psychometric Mixture Models

Psychometric mixture models based on 'flexmix' infrastructure. At the moment Rasch mixture models with different parameterizations of the score distribution (saturated vs. mean/variance specification), Bradley-Terry mixture models, and MPT mixture models are implemented. These mixture models can be estimated with or without concomitant variables. See Frick et al. (2012) and Frick et al. (2015) for details on the Rasch mixture models.

Discrete Choice (Binary, Poisson and Ordered) Models with Random Parameters

An implementation of simulated maximum likelihood method for the estimation of Binary (Probit and Logit), Ordered (Probit and Logit) and Poisson models with random parameters for cross-sectional and longitudinal data as presented in Sarrias (2016) .

Stratified and Personalised Models Based on Model-Based Trees and Forests

Model-based trees for subgroup analyses in clinical trials and model-based forests for the estimation and prediction of personalised treatment effects (personalised models). Currently partitioning of linear models, lm(), generalised linear models, glm(), and Weibull models, survreg(), is supported. Advanced plotting functionality is supported for the trees and a test for parameter heterogeneity is provided for the personalised models. For details on model-based trees for subgroup analyses see Seibold, Zeileis and Hothorn (2016) ; for details on model-based forests for estimation of individual treatment effects see Seibold, Zeileis and Hothorn (2017) .

Estimate Structured Additive Regression Models with 'BayesX'

An R interface to estimate structured additive regression (STAR) models with 'BayesX'.

Embedding 'exams' Exercises as Forms in 'rmarkdown' or 'quarto' Documents

Automatic generation of quizzes or individual questions as (interactive) forms within 'rmarkdown' or 'quarto' documents based on 'R/exams' exercises.

Probability Distributions as S3 Objects

Tools to create and manipulate probability distributions using S3. Generics pdf(), cdf(), quantile(), and random() provide replacements for base R's d/p/q/r style functions. Functions and arguments have been named carefully to minimize confusion for students in intro stats courses. The documentation for each distribution contains detailed mathematical notes.