Validity and Reliability

1. Construct Validity is used to ensure that the measure is actually measure what it is intended to measure (i.e. the construct), and not other variables.

2. Criterion-Related Validity is used to predict future or current performance - it correlates test results with another criterion of interest.

3. Validity refers to how well a test measures what it is purported to measure.

4. Face Validity ascertains that the measure appears to be assessing the intended construct under study.

5. Reliability is the degree to which an assessment tool produces stable and consistent results.

6. Test-retest reliability is a measure of reliability obtained by administering the same test twice over a period of time to a group of individuals.

7. Parallel forms reliability is a measure of reliability obtained by administering different versions of an assessment tool.

8. Split-half reliability is another subtype of internal consistency reliability.

9. In order for learning assessments to be sound, they must be free of bias and distortion. Reliability and validity are two concepts that are important for defining and measuring bias and distortion.