IBM® SPSS® Amos™ 28

Displays a scatterplot of fit (measured by C, the minimum value of the discrepancy function) versus complexity (measured by number of parameters) where each point represents a model.

The scatterplot portrays the tradeoff between fit and complexity that Steiger characterized as follows:

"In the final analysis, it may be, in a sense, impossible to define one best way to combine measures of complexity and measures of badness-of-fit in a single numerical index, because the precise nature of the best numerical tradeoff between complexity and fit is, to some extent, a matter of personal taste. The choice of a model is a classic problem in the two-dimensional analysis of preference." (Steiger, 1990, p. 179.)

For an explanation of the straight line that passes through the scatterplot, right-click the Fit values panel and select What's This? from the popup menu.