Complete Environment for Bayesian Inference

Provides a complete environment for Bayesian inference using a variety of different samplers (see ?LaplacesDemon for an overview).

Multi-Model Inference

Tools for model selection and model averaging with support for a wide range of statistical models. Automated model selection through subsets of the maximum model, with optional constraints for model inclusion. Averaging of model parameters and predictions based on model weights derived from information criteria (AICc and alike) or custom model weighting schemes.

Forecasting Functions for Time Series and Linear Models

Methods and tools for displaying and analysing univariate time series forecasts including exponential smoothing via state space models and automatic ARIMA modelling.

Tools for Working with Posterior Distributions

Provides useful tools for both users and developers of packages for fitting Bayesian models or working with output from Bayesian models. The primary goals of the package are to: (a) Efficiently convert between many different useful formats of draws (samples) from posterior or prior distributions. (b) Provide consistent methods for operations commonly performed on draws, for example, subsetting, binding, or mutating draws. (c) Provide various summaries of draws in convenient formats. (d) Provide lightweight implementations of state of the art posterior inference diagnostics. References: Vehtari et al. (2021) .

Construct Modeling Packages

Building modeling packages is hard. A large amount of effort generally goes into providing an implementation for a new method that is efficient, fast, and correct, but often less emphasis is put on the user interface. A good interface requires specialized knowledge about S3 methods and formulas, which the average package developer might not have. The goal of 'hardhat' is to reduce the burden around building new modeling packages by providing functionality for preprocessing, predicting, and validating input.

Statistical Modeling

A collection of algorithms and functions to aid statistical modeling. Includes limiting dilution analysis (aka ELDA), growth curve comparisons, mixed linear models, heteroscedastic regression, inverse-Gaussian probability calculations, Gauss quadrature and a secure convergence algorithm for nonlinear models. Also includes advanced generalized linear model functions including Tweedie and Digamma distributional families, secure convergence and exact distributional calculations for unit deviances.

Tidy Data and 'Geoms' for Bayesian Models

Compose data for and extract, manipulate, and visualize posterior draws from Bayesian models ('JAGS', 'Stan', 'rstanarm', 'brms', 'MCMCglmm', 'coda', ...) in a tidy data format. Functions are provided to help extract tidy data frames of draws from Bayesian models and that generate point summaries and intervals in a tidy format. In addition, 'ggplot2' 'geoms' and 'stats' are provided for common visualization primitives like points with multiple uncertainty intervals, eye plots (intervals plus densities), and fit curves with multiple, arbitrary uncertainty bands.

Assessment of Regression Models Performance

Utilities for computing measures to assess model quality, which are not directly provided by R's 'base' or 'stats' packages. These include e.g. measures like r-squared, intraclass correlation coefficient (Nakagawa, Johnson & Schielzeth (2017) ), root mean squared error or functions to check models for overdispersion, singularity or zero-inflation and more. Functions apply to a large variety of regression models, including generalized linear models, mixed effects models and Bayesian models. References: Lüdecke et al. (2021) .

Vector Generalized Linear and Additive Models

An implementation of about 6 major classes of statistical regression models. The central algorithm is Fisher scoring and iterative reweighted least squares. At the heart of this package are the vector generalized linear and additive model (VGLM/VGAM) classes. VGLMs can be loosely thought of as multivariate GLMs. VGAMs are data-driven VGLMs that use smoothing. The book "Vector Generalized Linear and Additive Models: With an Implementation in R" (Yee, 2015) gives details of the statistical framework and the package. Currently only fixed-effects models are implemented. Many (100+) models and distributions are estimated by maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) or penalized MLE. The other classes are RR-VGLMs (reduced-rank VGLMs), quadratic RR-VGLMs, doubly constrained RR-VGLMs, quadratic RR-VGLMs, reduced-rank VGAMs, RCIMs (row-column interaction models)---these classes perform constrained and unconstrained quadratic ordination (CQO/UQO) models in ecology, as well as constrained additive ordination (CAO). Hauck-Donner effect detection is implemented. Note that these functions are subject to change; see the NEWS and ChangeLog files for latest changes.

Regression Modeling Strategies

Regression modeling, testing, estimation, validation, graphics, prediction, and typesetting by storing enhanced model design attributes in the fit. 'rms' is a collection of functions that assist with and streamline modeling. It also contains functions for binary and ordinal logistic regression models, ordinal models for continuous Y with a variety of distribution families and types of censoring with optional random effects, and the Buckley-James multiple regression model for right-censored responses, and implements penalized maximum likelihood estimation for logistic and ordinary linear models. 'rms' works with almost any regression model, but it was especially written to work with binary or ordinal regression models, Cox regression, accelerated failure time models, ordinary linear models, the Buckley-James model, generalized least squares for serially or spatially correlated observations, generalized linear models, and quantile regression.