Density estimation has evolved enormously since the days of bar plots and histograms, but researchers and users are still struggling with the problem of the selection of the bin widths. This text explores a new paradigm for the data-based or automatic selection of the free parameters of density estimates in general so that the expected error is within a given constant multiple of the best possible error. The paradigm can be used in nearly all density estimates and for most model selection problems, both parametric and nonparametric. It is the first book on this topic. The text is intended for first-year graduate students in statistics and learning theory, and offers a host of opportunities for further research and thesis topics. Each chapter corresponds roughly to one lecture, and is supplemented with many classroom exercises. A one year course in
probability theory at the level of Feller's Volume 1 should be more than adequate preparation. Gabor Lugosi is Professor at Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona, and Luc Debroye is Professor at McGill University in Montreal. In 1996, the authors, together with Lászlo Györfi, published the successful text, A Probabilistic Theory of Pattern Recognition with Springer-Verlag. Both authors have made many contributions in the area of nonparametric estimation. Summary: The simplest introduction to this complicated topic
Rating: 5 This book is written in a theorem-proof-corollary format and as such is not suitable to casual readers. However, to readers who want a deep understanding of the the theorems and proofs, it is a real gem. The material is very clear and simple (well at least simpler than other textbooks in this area). No prior knowledge is required! All the proofs are complete and succint.

 

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