title: Choice of structural model via parsimony: a rationale based on precision.
abstract: It is shown that, in large samples, the more parsimonious of two competing nested models yields an estimator of the common parameters that has smaller sampling variance. The use of parsimony as a criterion for choice between two otherwise acceptable models can thus be rationalized on the basis of precision of estimation.
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Bentler
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mooijaart
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008960:Models, Psychological; D015233:Models, Statistical