Towards data driven selection of a penalty function for data driven Neyman tests

The data driven Neyman statistic consists of two elements: a score statistic in a finite dimensional submodel and a selection rule to determine the best fitted submodel. For instance, Schwarz BIC and Akaike AIC rules are often applied in such constructions. For moderate sample sizes AIC is sensitive in detecting complex models, while BIC works well for relatively simple structures. When the sample size is moderate, the choice of selection rule for determining a best fitted model from a number of models has a substantial influence on the power of the related data driven Neyman test. This paper proposes a new solution, in which the type of penalty (AIC or BIC) is chosen on the basis of the data. The resulting refined data driven test combines the advantages of these two selection rules. © 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.