Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) in Social Sciences & Medical Research: A Guide for Improved Analysis

Researches conducted in social sciences require different statistical techniques in order to interpret the quantitative data gathered from sample. The selection of the techniques heavily depends upon nature of data and researcher’s own capability, preference, understanding and availability of statistical techniques. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) is one of the basic techniques also being widely used by researchers now days. The determination of this study is to give an overview of rudimentary concepts and issues related to SEM in social sciences. It is concluded after extensive literature search related to SEM that it is just like bond for the social science researcher in available statistical techniques like multivariate analysis including multiple regression in which checking effect by multiple variables in a model simultaneously. There is no plentiful work related to critiques on SEM in social sciences. This study fills gap by describing the basic concepts of SEM at one platform and more specifically it gives a holistic view to use SEM more effectively for social science researchers.