This paper describes the origins of the logistic function, its adoption in bio-assay, and its wider acceptance in statistics. Its roots spread far back to the early 19th century; the survival of the term logistic and the wide application of the device have been determined decisively by the...

The discrete outcome of a probability model is recordedas Y(i)=1 while otherwise Y(i)=0. y is the vector of observedoutcomes, p the corresponding probabilities, p^a consistent estimate of p, and residuals are defined ase = y - p^. Under quite general conditions, theasymptotic properties of p^...