Robust Quantile Regression Using L2E

Abstract

Quantile regression, a method used to estimate conditional quantiles of a set of data ( X, Y ), was popularized by Koenker and Bassett (1978). For a particular quantile q , the q th quantile estimate of Y given X = x can be found using an asymmetrically-weighted, absolute-loss criteria. This form of regression is considered to be robust, in that it is less affected by outliers in the data set than least-squares regression. However, like standard L 1 regression, this form of quantile regression can still be affected by multiple outliers. In this thesis, we propose a method for improving robustness in quantile regression through an application of Scott's L 2 Estimation (2001). Theoretic and asymptotic results are presented and used to estimate properties of our method. Along with simple linear regression, semiparametric extensions are examined. To verify our method and its extensions, simulated results are considered. Real data sets are also considered, including estimating the effect of various factors on the conditional quantiles of child birth weight, using semiparametric quantile regression to analyze the relationship between age and personal income, and assessing the value distributions of Major League Baseball players.