A Bayesian Measure of Model Accuracy.

Ensuring that the proposed probabilistic model accurately represents the problem is a critical step in statistical modeling, as choosing a poorly fitting model can have significant repercussions on the decision-making process. The primary objective of statistical modeling often revolves around predicting new observations, highlighting the importance of assessing the model's accuracy. However, current methods for evaluating predictive ability typically involve model comparison, which may not guarantee a good model selection. This work presents an accuracy measure designed for evaluating a model's predictive capability. This measure, which is straightforward and easy to understand, includes a decision criterion for model rejection. The development of this proposal adopts a Bayesian perspective of inference, elucidating the underlying concepts and outlining the necessary procedures for application. To illustrate its utility, the proposed methodology was applied to real-world data, facilitating an assessment of its practicality in real-world scenarios.

Bayesian inference on proportional elections.

Polls for majoritarian voting systems usually show estimates of the percentage of votes for each candidate. However, proportional vote systems do not necessarily guarantee the candidate with the most percentage of votes will be elected. Thus, traditional methods used in majoritarian elections cannot be applied on proportional elections. In this context, the purpose of this paper was to perform a Bayesian inference on proportional elections considering the Brazilian system of seats distribution. More specifically, a methodology to answer the probability that a given party will have representation on the chamber of deputies was developed. Inferences were made on a Bayesian scenario using the Monte Carlo simulation technique, and the developed methodology was applied on data from the Brazilian elections for Members of the Legislative Assembly and Federal Chamber of Deputies in 2010. A performance rate was also presented to evaluate the efficiency of the methodology. Calculations and simulations were carried out using the free R statistical software.