Check Classifier Performance Using Test Set in Classification Learner App

This example shows how to train multiple models in Classification Learner, and determine the best-performing models based on their validation accuracy. Check the test accuracy for the best-performing models trained on the full data set, including training and validation data.

1. In the MATLAB^® Command Window, load the ionosphere data set, and create a table containing the data. Separate the table into training and test sets.

   load ionosphere
   tbl = array2table(X);
   tbl.Y = Y;
   
   rng('default') % For reproducibility of the data split
   partition = cvpartition(Y,'Holdout',0.15);
   idxTrain = training(partition); % Indices for the training set
   tblTrain = tbl(idxTrain,:);
   tblTest = tbl(~idxTrain,:);

2. Open Classification Learner. Click the Apps tab, and then click the arrow at the right of the Apps section to open the apps gallery. In the Machine Learning and Deep Learning group, click Classification Learner.

3. On the Classification Learner tab, in the File section, click New Session and select From Workspace.

4. In the New Session from Workspace dialog box, select the tblTrain table from the Data Set Variable list.

   As shown in the dialog box, the app selects the response and predictor variables. The default response variable is Y. To protect against overfitting, the default validation option is 5-fold cross-validation. For this example, do not change the default settings.

   

5. To accept the default options and continue, click Start Session.

6. Train all preset models. On the Classification Learner tab, in the Model Type section, click the arrow to open the gallery. In the Get Started group, click All. In the Training section, click Train. The app trains one of each preset model type and displays the models in the Models pane.

   Tip

   If you have Parallel Computing Toolbox™, you can train all the models (All) simultaneously by selecting the Use Parallel button in the Training section before clicking Train. After you click Train, the Opening Parallel Pool dialog box opens and remains open while the app opens a parallel pool of workers. During this time, you cannot interact with the software. After the pool opens, the app trains the models simultaneously.

7. Sort the trained models based on the validation accuracy. In the Models pane, open the Sort by list and select Accuracy (Validation).

8. In the Models pane, click the star icons next to the three models with the highest validation accuracy. The app highlights the highest validation accuracy by outlining it in a box. In this example, the trained Medium Gaussian SVM model has the highest validation accuracy.

   

   The app displays a scatter plot of the ionosphere data. Correctly classified points are marked with an O, and incorrectly classified points are marked with an X. The Models pane on the left shows the validation accuracy for each model.

   Note

   Validation introduces some randomness into the results. Your model validation results can vary from the results shown in this example.

9. Check the test set performance of the best-performing models. Begin by importing test data into the app.

   On the Classification Learner tab, in the Testing section, click Test Data and select From Workspace.

10. In the Import Test Data dialog box, select the tblTest table from the Test Data Set Variable list.

    As shown in the dialog box, the app identifies the response and predictor variables.

    

11. Click Import.

12. Compute the accuracy of the best preset models on the tblTest data. For convenience, compute the test set accuracy for all models at once. On the Classification Learner tab, in the Testing section, click Test All and select Test All. The app computes the test set performance of the model trained on the full data set, including training and validation data.

13. Sort the models based on the test set accuracy. In the Models pane, open the Sort by list and select Accuracy (Test). The app still outlines the metric for the model with the highest validation accuracy, despite displaying the test accuracy.

14. Visually check the test set performance of the models. On the Classification Learner tab, in the Plots section, click Confusion Matrix and select Test Data. You can toggle between models to compare their performance.

    In this example, the trained Medium Gaussian SVM remains one of the best-performing models on the test set data.

    

15. Compare the validation and test accuracy for the trained Medium Gaussian SVM model. In the Current Model Summary pane, compare the Accuracy (Validation) value under Training Results to the Accuracy (Test) value under Test Results. In this example, the two values are close, which indicates that the validation accuracy is a good estimate of the test accuracy for this model.

Related Topics

• Assess Classifier Performance in Classification Learner
• Export Classification Model to Predict New Data
• Train Classifier Using Hyperparameter Optimization in Classification Learner App