Group 8 Handout
VALIDITY OF A TEST
Validity (Airasian, 2000) is concerned whether the information obtained from an assessment
permits the teacher to make a correct decision about a student's learning. This means that the
appropriateness of score-based inferences or decisions made are based on the students' test
results. It is the extent to which a test measures what it is supposed to measure.
Types of Validity
1. Content Validity. A type of validation that refers to the relationship between a test and the
instructional objectives, establishes content so that the test measures what it is supposed to
measure. Things to remember about validity:
a. The evidence of the content validity of a test is found in the Table of Specification.
b. This is the most important type of validity for a classroom teacher.
C. There is no coefficient for content validity. It is determined by experts judgmentally, not
empirically.
2. Criterion-related Validity. A type of validation that refers to the extent to which scores from
a test relate to theoretically similar measures. It is a measure of how accurately a student's
current test score can be used to estimate a score on a cri-terion measure, like performance in
courses, classes or another measurement instrument. For example, the classroom reading
grades should indicate similar levels of performance as Standardized Reading Test scores.
a. Concurrent validity. The criterion and the predictor data are collected at the same time. This
type of validity is appropriate for tests designed to assess a student's current criterion status or
when you want to di-agnose student's status; it is a good diagnostic screening test. It is es-
tablished by correlating the criterion and the predictor using Pearson product correlation
coefficient and other statistical tools correlations.
b. Predictive validity. A type of validation that refers to a measure of the extent to which a
student's current test result can be used to accurately estimate the outcome of the student's
performance at a later time. It is appropriate for tests designed to assess a student's future
status on a criterion.
3. Construct Validity. A type of validation that refers to the measure of the extent to which a
test measures a theoretical and unobservable variable qualities such as intelligence, math
achievement, performance anxiety, and the like, over a period of time on the basis of gathering
evidence. It is established through intensive study of the test or measurement instrument using
convergent/divergent validation and factor analysis.
a. Convergent validity is a type of construct validation wherein a test has a high correlation
with another test that measures the same construct.
b. Divergent validity is a type of construct validation wherein a test has low correlation with a
test that measures a different construct. In this case, a high validity occurs only when there is a
low correlation coef-ficient between the tests that measure different traits.
C. Factor analysis is another method of assessing the construct validity of a test using complex
statistical procedures conducted with different procedures.
Important Things to Remember about Validity
1. Validity refers to the decisions we make, and not to the test itself or to the measurement.
2. Like reliability, validity is not an all-or-nothing concept; it is never totally absent or absolutely
perfect.
3. A validity estimate, called a validity coefficient, refers to specific type of validity. It ranges
between 0 and 1.
4. Validity can never be finally determined; it is specific to each administration of the test.
Factors Affecting the Validity of a Test Item
1. The test itself.
2. The administration and scoring of a test.
3. Personal factors influencing how students response to the test.
4. Validity is always specific to a particular group.
Reasons That Reduce the Validity of the Test Item
1. Poorly constructed test items
2. Unclear directions
3. Ambiguous test items
4. Too difficult vocabulary
5. Complicated syntax
6. Inadequate time limit
7. Inappropriate level of difficulty
8. Unintended clues
9. Improper arrangement of test items
Factors Affecting Reliability of a Test
1. Length of the test
2. Moderate item difficulty
3. Objective scoring
4. Heterogeneity of the student group
5. Limited time
Four Methods
Test-retest Method. A type of reliability determined by administering the same test twice to the
same group of students with any time interval between the tests. The results of the test scores
are correlated using the Pearson product correlation coefficient (r) and this correlation
coefficient provides a measure of stability.
Equivalent Form. A type of reliability determined by administering two dif-ferent but equivalent
forms of the test (also called parallel or alternate forms).
Split-half Method. also known as split-half reliability, is a way to assess the internal
consistency of a test or measure. It involves dividing the test into two halves and comparing the
scores on each half. I
