validity and reliability are testing terms used about

The review of this scale listed information on the construct, concurrent, and divergent validity. I found the Abuse Disability Questionnaire (ADQ).

An example of this can be seen when I searched for a scale to measure self-esteem. The reviews of the scales represent one of the most accurate sources for information on the given scales. Such reviews can be found in the Mental Measurements Yearbook and other similar databases. In addressing the validity of a scale, it is prudent to examine the reviews of the given scales.

In examining such constructs, one has to rely heavily on self-reported scales. In counseling, validity can be important in that counselors utilize many scales aimed at assessing constructs such as self-esteem. If a test developer decided to include content from a quantum physics class, this would prove to be outside the scope of GED testing and would adversely affect the content validity of that test.

For instance in GED testing, the content is based on knowledge acquired during the course of education through high school. A construct-irrelevant variance occurs within a test scale when the scores obtained through the use of a scale are influenced by something outside the scope of the construct.Ĭontent validity proves to be very important in all forms of testing but it proves to be critical in educational testing especially since the lion’s share of educational testing is based on knowledge acquired in the course of a given academic endeavor.

The notions of construct underrepresentation and construct-irrelevant variance also prove applicable when one discusses content validity.Ĭonstruct underrepresentation refers to cases when the scope of the test instrument proves to be limited in that it does not cover the important aspects of a construct (Kaplan & Saccuzzo, 2005, 137). Additionally, one needs to examine concepts such as the level of logical reasoning necessary to interpret the items. In order to determine the level of content validity, one has to examine whether the scale is developed appropriately in that he/she has to examine items such as the level of reading necessary to understand the items and respond appropriately. Criterion validity is established based on the extent to which a scale corresponds to a pre-defined criterion and construct validity is established when a researcher engages in a series of activities that simultaneously defines a construct and develop a scale to measure the developed construct (Kaplan & Saccuzzo, 2005, 149-150). Content validity is established based on the extent to which a scale reflects the intended domain of content (Carmines & Zeller, 1991, 20).

Validity and reliability are testing terms used about