CALL FOR PAPERS

JOURNAL OF STATISTICAL THEORY AND PRACTICE

Special Issue on "IMPRECISION"

http://www.maths.dur.ac.uk/users/matthias.troffaes/jstpip/

Aims of the special issue
-------------------------

Uncertainty is usually modelled by a probability distribution, and
treated using techniques from probability theory. Such an uncertainty
model will often be inadequate in cases where insufficient information
is available to identify a unique probability distribution. In that
case, imprecise probabilities aim to represent and manipulate the
really available knowledge about the system.

Similar concerns arise when dealing with utility. In making decisions,
each reward is assigned a single real number, called utility, and
rewards are accordingly ranked. However, in many practical cases, a
complete ranking over all rewards is unrealistic. Imprecise utility
aims to represent and reason with such incomplete preferences over
rewards.

With this special issue on imprecision we hope to promote new and
recent techniques that employ imprecise methods in a useful way, and
advance them to a wider audience. We especially hope to demonstrate
the benefits of imprecise models over traditional statistical
methods. In particular we are looking for (but not exclusively):

   * Applications enhanced by use of imprecision (less information,
     fewer assumptions).

   * Theoretical and methodological developments inspired by
     practical problems, and illustrating their use in such problems.

   * Studies, with examples of practical nature, to emphasise
     advantages and disadvantages of imprecise methods compared to
     classical (both frequentist and Bayes) inferential methods, and
     also to show similarities and differences to robust statistical
     and nonparametric methods.

   * Decision support using imprecision in probabilities and/or
     utilities, with applications or illustrations from a practical
     perspective.

Instructions to authors
-----------------------

The papers should contain original unpublished work not submitted for
publication in another journal.  Due to limitations of space, the
recommended length for papers is 15 pages, and in any case papers
should not exceed 20 pages. For now, submitted manuscripts should use
the standard LaTeX article style (11pt, Times New Roman): see

 http://www.maths.dur.ac.uk/users/matthias.troffaes/jstpip/submission.html

for more information. Manuscripts will be refereed according to the standard
procedures for JSTP.

Authors should submit their papers electronically by e-mail (provide
both .tex and .pdf file, and source files of binary graphics if any)
to one of the special issue editors.

We also encourage potential authors to contact either of the special
issue editors by e-mail as soon as possible to indicate their
intention to contribute to the special issue (possibly with the
subject or the tentative title of their future contribution).

Deadline
--------

The DEADLINE for submissions is OCTOBER 31, 2007

The issue is expected to be ready around the second half of 2008.

Special issue editors
---------------------

   * Thomas Augustin ([log in to unmask])

     Ludwig-Maximilians University, Department of Statistics, Munich, Germany



   * Frank Coolen ([log in to unmask])
     Pauline Coolen-Schrijner ([log in to unmask])
     Matthias Troffaes ([log in to unmask])

     Durham University, Department of Mathematical Sciences, Durham, UK