[R] Estimating theta for negative binomial model

[Tim Clark]

Dear List,

I am trying to do model averaging for a negative binomial model using the package AICcmodavg.  I need to use glm() since the package does not accept glm.nb() models.  I can get glm() to work if I first run glm.nb and take theta from that model, but is there a simpler way to estimate theta for the glm model?  The two models are:     

mod.nb<-glm.nb(mantas~site,data=mydata)
mod.glm<-glm(mantas~site,data=mydata, family=negative.binomial(mod.nb$theta)) 

How else can I get theta for the family=negative.binomial(theta=???) 

Thanks!

Tim



Tim Clark
Department of Zoology 
University of Hawaii