Model Evaluation

Model evaluation is a crucial step in the machine learning pipeline that helps us understand how well our models perform and make informed decisions about model selection and improvement.

Performance Metrics

Classification Metrics

  • Accuracy: Overall correctness of predictions
  • Precision: Positive predictive value
  • Recall: Sensitivity or true positive rate
  • F1 Score: Harmonic mean of precision and recall
  • ROC and AUC: Trade-off between true and false positive rates

Regression Metrics

  • Mean Squared Error (MSE)
  • Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE)
  • Mean Absolute Error (MAE)
  • R-squared (R²)
  • Adjusted R-squared

Ranking Metrics

  • Mean Average Precision
  • Normalized Discounted Cumulative Gain
  • Mean Reciprocal Rank
  • Precision at K

Cross-Validation

Types of Cross-Validation

  • K-Fold Cross-Validation
  • Stratified K-Fold
  • Leave-One-Out Cross-Validation
  • Time Series Cross-Validation

Implementation

  • Train-Test Split
  • Validation Set
  • Cross-Validation Score
  • Cross-Validation with Parameter Tuning

Model Selection

Techniques

  • Grid Search
  • Random Search
  • Bayesian Optimization
  • Nested Cross-Validation

Criteria

  • Information Criteria (AIC, BIC)
  • Cross-Validation Error
  • Model Complexity
  • Computational Efficiency

Bias-Variance Tradeoff

Understanding the Tradeoff

  • Bias: Model's assumptions about the data
  • Variance: Model's sensitivity to changes in training data
  • Total Error Decomposition
  • Optimal Model Complexity

Diagnosing Problems

  • Learning Curves
  • Validation Curves
  • Error Analysis
  • Bias-Variance Diagnostics

Advanced Evaluation Techniques

Bootstrap Methods

  • Bootstrap Sampling
  • Confidence Intervals
  • Out-of-Bag Estimates
  • Bootstrap Aggregating

Statistical Tests

  • McNemar's Test
  • Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test
  • Student's t-Test
  • ANOVA

Practical Considerations

Model Comparison

  • Statistical Significance
  • Effect Size
  • Model Ranking
  • Ensemble Selection

Production Deployment

  • Model Monitoring
  • Performance Tracking
  • A/B Testing
  • Model Updates