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| | Important Continuous Statistical Distributions in SEM |
 | | The normal, or Gaussian, distribution is one of the most familiar in statistics, endeared to statisticians by its simplicity and by virtue of the Central Limit Theorem (which states that a sample mean will follow an approximately normal distribution, if sample size is large enough, even if the data themselves are not normally distributed). |
 | | On the bad side, normal distributions increase the likelihood that the parameters of statistical models will not be identified, because there will be relatively few pieces of distinct information--fewer "knowns"--available for this purpose (Bekker, Merckens and Wansbeek, 1994). |
 | | On the good side, statistical derivations involving the normal distribution are very much simplified, since higher order moments can be ignored. |
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