- used to ensure that the measure is actually assessing the correct content (i.e. theconstruct), and not other variables. Using a panel of "experts" familiar with the construct is a way in which this type of validity can be assessed. The experts canexamine the items and decide what that specific item is intended to measure.Students can be involved in this process to obtain their feedback.

- an important research methodology term thatrefers to how WELL a test measures the behaviorfor which it is intended.

- (very similar to content validity) ensures that the measure covers the broad range of areas within the concept that is being studied. Not everything can be covered, so items need to be sampled from all of the domains. This may need to be completed using a panel of "experts" to ensure that the content area is adequately sampled. Additionally, a panel can help limit the "expert" bias (i.e. a test reflecting what an individual personally feels are the most important or relevant ideas).

- used to predict future or current performance - itcorrelates test results with another criterion ofinterest.

- PREDICTIVE VALIDITY - a form of criterion- related validity: ameasurement of how well a test predicts future performance. In order for atest to have predictive validity, there must be a statistically significantcorrelation between test scores and the criterion being used to measurethe validity.

- a measure of how well a particular test correlateswith a previously validated measure. It iscommonly used in the educational field.

ascertains that the measure appears to be assessing the intended construct thatis being studied. The stakeholders can easily assess face validity. Although this isnot a very "scientific" type of validity, it may be an essential component in enlistingmotivation of stakeholders. If the stakeholders do not believe the measure is anaccurate assessment of the ability, they may become disengaged with the task.

- how well a test measures what itis purported to measure

In order for an assessment to be "sound", they must be free ofbias and distortion. Reliability and Validity are two conceptsthat are important for defining and measuring bias anddistortion.

the degree to which an assessment tool produces stable and consistent results

a measure of reliability obtained by administering different versions of an assessment tool (both versions must contain items that probe the same construct, skill, knowledge base, etc.) to the same group of individuals. The scores from the two versions can then be correlated in order to evaluate the consistency of results across alternate versions.

a measure of reliability used to assess the degree to which different judges or raters agree in their assessment decisions. Inter-rater reliability is useful because human observers will not necessarily interpret answers the same way; raters may disagree as to how well certain responses or material demonstrate knowledge of the construct or skill

a measure of reliability obtained by administering the same test twice over a period of time to a group of individuals. The scores from Time 1 and Time 2 can then be correlated in order to evaluate the test for stability over time.

a measure of reliability used to evaluate the degree to which different test items that probe the same construct produce similar results.

a sub-type of internal consistency reliability; the process of obtaining average inter-item correlation reliability is begun by taking all of the items that are on a given test that probe the same construct (e.g. reading comprehension), determining the correlation coefficient for each PAIR of items, and finally taking the average of all of these correlation coefficients. This final step yields the average inter-item correlation.

a sub-type of internal consistency reliability; the process of obtaining split-half reliability is begun by "splitting in half" all items of a test that are intended to probe the same construct (e.g. World War II) in order to from two "sets" of items. The ENTIRE test is administered to a group of individuals, the total score for each "set" is computed, and finally, the split-half reliability is obtained by determining the correlation between the two "set" of scores.