Moving beyond noninformative priors: why and how to choose weakly informative priors in Bayesian analyses

• Published in: Oikos Vol. 128; no. 7; pp. 912 - 928
• Main Author: Lemoine, Nathan P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.07.2019
• Subjects: analysis of variance; Bayesian analysis; Bayesian statistics; Bayesian theory; Computer applications; Computer simulation; Ecological monitoring; Ecologists; Ecology; Evolution; frequentist statistics; Guidelines; Markov chain Monte Carlo; Mathematical models; Parameter estimation; philosophy; Probability theory; Regression analysis; Statistical analysis; Statistical methods; Statistical models; vague priors; Variance analysis

Throughout the last two decades, Bayesian statistical methods have proliferated throughout ecology and evolution. Numerous previous references established both philosophical and computational guidelines for implementing Bayesian methods. However, protocols for incorporating prior information, the de...