Maximum likelihood
From Online Dictionary of Crystallography
Maximum de vraisemblance (Fr). Maximale Wahrscheinlichkeit (Ge). Máxima verosimilitud (Sp). Metodo della massima verosimiglianza (It). 最尤法 (Ja)
An approach to structure refinement in which the parameters of a structural model are modified to optimize the statistical probability of generating a set of observed intensities. The technique is often used in the refinement of structures of biological macromolecules, where the unfavourable parameter-to-observation ratio often leads to overfitted data and consequent systematic errors in least-squares minimization procedures.