The up-and-down method for small samples

WJ Dixon - Journal of the American Statistical Association, 1965 - Taylor & Francis
WJ Dixon
Journal of the American Statistical Association, 1965Taylor & Francis
A modified up-and-down method for sensitivity testing (all-or-none assays) is presented with
maximum likelihood estimates of LD50 tabulated for all sample sequences for nominal
sample size N≤ 6. Approximate estimates for larger sample sizes are given. The design
uses sequentially determined test levels and sequentially determined sample sizes. The
estimates have mean square error approximately independent of the chosen starting level of
the test sequence and the spacing between test levels. The actual sample size rarely …
Abstract
A modified up-and-down method for sensitivity testing (all-or-none assays) is presented with maximum likelihood estimates of LD50 tabulated for all sample sequences for nominal sample size N ≤ 6. Approximate estimates for larger sample sizes are given. The design uses sequentially determined test levels and sequentially determined sample sizes. The estimates have mean square error approximately independent of the chosen starting level of the test sequence and the spacing between test levels. The actual sample size rarely exceeds the nominal sample size by more than two for moderately well chosen starting levels. Examples of the use of the method are given for two analyses of variance designs.
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