Positive log-likelihood values happen
16 February 2011
3 comments
From time to time, we get a question from a user puzzled about getting a positive log likelihood for a certain estimation. We get so used to seeing negative log-likelihood values all the time that we may wonder what caused them to be positive.
First, let me point out that there is nothing wrong with a positive log likelihood.
The likelihood is the product of the density evaluated at the observations. Usually, the density takes values that are smaller than one, so its logarithm will be negative. However, this is not true for every distribution. Read more…