This book is concerned with the general theory of optimal estimation of - rameters in systems subject to random e?ects and with the application of this theory. The focus is on choice of families of estimating functions, rather than the estimators derived therefrom, and on optimization within these families. Only assumptions about means and covariances are required for an initial d- cussion. Nevertheless, the theory that is developed mimics that of maximum likelihood, at least to the ?rst order of asymptotics. The term quasi-likelihood has often had a narrow interpretation, asso- ated with its...

The first account in book form of all the essential features of the quasi-likelihood methodology, stressing its value as a general purpose inferential tool. The treatment is rather informal, emphasizing essential principles rather than detailed proofs, and readers are assumed to have a firm grounding in probability and statistics at the graduate level. Many examples of the use of the methods in both classical statistical and stochastic process contexts are provided.