# fGarch and include.shape in R

I just started using the "fGarch" package in R and until now everything has been going fine.

I have estimated two successful models from two different datasets that have been estimated correctly using a normal distribution.

I am now trying to estimate a GARCH model with a fitted $t$-distriubtion but cannot get it to work.

One suggested model is:

      myGarch=garchFit(formula=~arma(0,1)+garch(1,1),include.shape=TRUE,cond.dist="std", data = log_returns)


Then I use this to look at the shape paramter:

garchModel@fit$params$shape


This returns 4, which is the standard degrees of freedom for the $t$-distribution indicating that they have not been estimated? This holds true even if I change the other model parameters or try with a different dataset. I'm sure I'm missing something obvious.

Turns out garchModel@fit$params$shape will only report the standard shape for some reason and the coef function is what one would want to use to find the shape parameter. I didn't realize it would be reported there. If I'm wrong in this, do tell; but I think that's the solution.