Asymptotic Distribution of the Shapiro-Wilk $W$ for Testing for Normality

Abstract

Twenty years have elapsed since the Shapiro-Wilk statistic $W$ for testing the normality of a sample first appeared. In that time a number of statistics that are close relatives of $W$ have been found to have a common (known) asymptotic distribution. It was assumed, therefore, that $W$ must have that asymptotic distribution. We show this to be the case and examine the norming constants that are used with all the statistics. In addition the consistency of the $W$ test is established.