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Theses and Dissertations (Statistics): Recent submissions

  • A new similarity measure for spatial linear networks 
    Coetzee, Mila (University of Pretoria, 2023)
    A linear network is a combination of line segments, or edges, that run between their defined endpoints, or nodes. They have become increasingly prevalent within spatial statistics due to the potential for representing ...
  • Penalized feature selection in model-based clustering 
    Potgieter, Luandrie (University of Pretoria, 2022)
    Cluster analysis is a popular unsupervised statistical method used to group observations into clusters. Identifying latent segments and groupings in the data aids in the understanding of natural phenomena. The data driven ...
  • Semi-parametric mixtures of quantile regressions 
    Gouws, Divan (University of Pretoria, 2023)
    Mixtures of quantile regressions are explored through the lens of a kernel density based EM-type algorithm and a newly proposed CEM-type algorithm. This allows the simultaneous clustering and modeling of conditional ...
  • Deriving trajectory embeddings from global positioning system movement data 
    Graaff, Armand (University of Pretoria, 2022-12-07)
    Analysing unstructured data with minimal contextual information is a challenge faced in spatial applications such as movement data. Movement data are sequences of time-stamped locations of a moving entity analogous to text ...
  • A spatial model with vaccinations for COVID-19 in South Africa 
    Dresselhaus, Claudia Josephina (University of Pretoria, 2023)
    Rarely has the world undertaken a public health effort equal in scale or scope to the one it faced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Countries around the world implemented government interventions such as lockdowns and ...
  • A maximum likelihood estimation approach for spliced distributions obtained through quantile splicing 
    Van der Sande, Jeanne-Louise (University of Pretoria, 2022-11-30)
    This mini-dissertation proposes constructing a family of spliced distributions at a point different from the median, hence k=1/4 instead of k=1/2, using the method of quantile splicing proposed by Mac'Oduol et al. (2020). ...
  • Assessing classification performance for sampled remote sensing data 
    Rangongo, Tshepiso Selaelo (University of Pretoria, 2022)
    The volume of big data increases daily. Big data poses challenges in storage, management, processing, analysis and visualisation. One technique of handling big data is the use of subset or sample that is good representation ...
  • Using goodness-of-fit tests to detect normality for mesokurtic data 
    Sclanders, Micaela Lee (University of Pretoria, 2023)
    The normality assumption is crucial in statistical inference and modelling. It is therefore important to determine if a sample comes from a normal distribution. Consequently, numerous goodness-of-fit hypothesis tests ...
  • Robust parameter estimation of finite mixture models with self-paced learning 
    Kleynhans, Andre Ruben (University of Pretoria, 2022)
    Self-paced learning (SPL) is a training strategy that mitigates the impact of non-typical observations. SPL introduces observations in a meaningful order by considering the likelihood for each observation. The proposed ...
  • Feature engineered embeddings for machine learning on molecular data 
    Jardim, Claudio (University of Pretoria, 2022)
    The classification of molecules is of particular importance to the drug discovery process and several other use cases. Data in this domain can be partitioned into structural and sequence/text data. Several tech- niques ...
  • Furtherance of modeling frameworks for multivariate directional statistics 
    Nagar, Priyanka (University of Pretoria, 2022)
    In this thesis, we propose multivariate directional models that serve to fill the gaps in literature and aim to develop innovative theoretical modeling frameworks for contemporary applications where either certain manifolds ...
  • Advances and considerations of Dirichlet with an emphasis on entropy 
    Botha, Tanita (University of Pretoria, 2022)
    The Dirichlet distribution is a cornerstone probabilistic consideration when working with data on the unit simplex. This thesis studies advances of several Dirichlet generalizations such as the Dirichlet generator, noncentral ...
  • Skew Laplace candidates emanating from scale mixtures for insightful computational modelling 
    Otto, Arnoldus (University of Pretoria, 2023)
    The search for appropriate and flexible models for describing complex data sets, often with departure from normality, remains a main interest in various computational research fields. In this study, the focus is on developing ...
  • Meta-analysis of summary statistics versus individual participant-level data of trials with binary outcomes 
    Norman, Layla (University of Pretoria, 2022)
    In this essay we will consider the meta-analysis of summary statistics versus individual participant-level data of trials with binary outcomes. Numerous techniques will be considered to essentially determine, both theoretically ...
  • From Beta to Dirichlet Frontiers 
    Makgai, Seitebaleng Littah (University of Pretoria, 2019)
    In this study, two classes of multivariate distributions are proposed as extensions of the well known univariate class of beta-generated distributions. This extension from the univariate to the multivari- ate domain ...
  • Diffusion processes and applications to financial time series 
    Van der Berg, Jacobus Marthinus (University of Pretoria, 2021-10)
    Diffusion processes are effective tools for modeling financial and economic phenomena. Diffusion models have been implemented with great success in financial markets where stochastic calculus based on such models allow ...
  • Approximate Bayesian computation for a spatial susceptible-exposed-infectious-removed model 
    Potgieter, Arminn (University of Pretoria, 2021-10)
    In this mini-dissertation we utilize population mobility data and COVID-19 case data in a variety of formats, from a variety of sources, in order to formulate a model for the spatial spread of COVID-19. The study region ...
  • Evaluating technology-based interventions to enhance the learning of first year Statistics students 
    Reyneke, Fransonet (University of Pretoria, 2021)
    This retrospective study focuses on the unique contribution of the various technology-based interventions to improve the learning experience and performance of first-year statistics students. Eight consecutive cohorts from ...
  • A unifying generator for cardioid modelling in circular statistics 
    Van Wyk, Delene Martine (University of Pretoria, 2021)
    One of the most important distributions in the circular world is the cardioid distribution. This distribution, however, suffers limitations for multimodal or asymmetric occurrences in circular data. This study addresses ...
  • Quantile-based generalized logistic distribution 
    Omachar, Brenda V. (University of Pretoria, 2014)
    This dissertation proposes the development of a new quantile-based generalized logistic distribution GLDQB, by using the quantile function of the generalized logistic distribution (GLO) as the basic building block. This ...