In a general variance component model with positive variance components a short-cut method is presented that yields almost everywhere for these components positive estimators that are invariant with respect to mean value translation and stay near the unbiasedness.

Positive estimators of the between-group (between-study) variance are proposed. Explicit variance formulae for the estimators are given and approximate confidence intervals for the between-group variance are constructed, as our proposal to a long outstanding problem. By Monte Carlo simulation,...

In a general variance component model with positive variance components a short-cut method is presented that yields almost everywhere for these components positive estimators that are invariant with respect to mean value translation and stay near the unbiasedness.

Positive estimators of the between-group (between-study) variance are proposed. Explicit variance formulae for the estimators are given and approximate confidence intervals for the between-group variance are constructed, as our proposal to a long outstanding problem. By Monte Carlo simulation,...

In a general variance component model with positive variance components a short-cut method is presented that yields almost everywhere for these components positive estimators that are invariant with respect to mean value translation and stay near the unbiasedness.

Positive estimators of the between-group (between-study) variance are proposed. Explicit variance formulae for the estimators are given and approximate confidence intervals for the between-group variance are constructed, as our proposal to a long outstanding problem. By Monte Carlo simulation,...