validity and reliability in research methods

Reliability means that something is consistent and replicable. To learn more about criterion validity, visit our guide to predictive validity (a subtype of criterion validity). If a candidate scores well on a sales skills assessment, are they actually more likely to perform better in a sales role? A test that accurately predicts real-world performance would have high criterion validity. If an assessment is designed to measure a candidate’s math ability, does it actually show evidence of measuring this? Would candidates who score well in this math test also score well in others? If so, the test has high construct validity.Ĭan the results of the test be used to predict something related to the test?

How well does the test measure the underlying construct that it is designed to measure? If a student sits an exam to test their course knowledge, the exam would need to cover all the pertinent points outlined in the course in order to have content validity. Is the content and composition of the test appropriate, given what is being measured?

We have outlined these three types of validity in the table below. Three common ways to look at validity are are: Answering questions about driving a car would not be a valid test of whether a person can drive or not – this requires the physical act of driving the car. If a particular assessment is designed to determine whether or not candidates have understood a set of compliance principles, it can be described as valid if it is able to show who understands the principles and who does not.Įxample: in order to be valid, a driving test should include a physical driving exam, not just a theory exam. Validity means that something measures what it is meant to measure. In this guide, we will run through the definitions of validity and reliability, the different types of each concept, and the differences between the two.

The two concepts are closely related, but there are key differences which sets them apart. When creating an assessment, organizations must consider how valid the results are, as well as how reliable (or consistent) they were throughout the testing process. In psychometrics, validity and reliability are used to assess how well a test measures something.

Validity and reliability in research methods