test validity and reliability in assessment

Think of it as face value, where you scan just the surface to form an opinion. We can call an assessment face valid if the items on a test seem to be effective in terms of its stated aims. In research, this is considered the easiest form of validity. But contrary to the myths, every subset plays a key role in justifying the test’s legitimacy cutting one (head) off can directly impair its whole existence. Validity can be further dissected into several subsets, or as we like to picture it as – a multi-headed creature in mythological tales. For instance, an intelligence test should measure intelligence a personality test should measure personality a Pottermore Sorting Hat Quiz should measure exactly which Hogwarts House you belong to. Simply put, a test is valid if it satisfies its objectives.

In scientific standards, an alpha of 0.7 and above is considered acceptable for most psychological measures. Although minor differences can be expected if taken at different points in time, these discrepancies can be calculated statistically using Cronbach’s alpha, also known as the coefficient alpha.

Whenever we assess reliability, the main questions that we repeatedly ask ourselves are, “Do the results today resemble the ones from yesterday? Will it remain the same tomorrow? What about next week? A year from now?”Ī reliable test should provide results that are similar no matter when we take it. As we’ve touched on fairness in a previous post about Adverse Impact Analysis, this piece will focus on explaining reliability and validity. In other words, the results of our hiring assessments should be consistent, should measure what it claims to measure, and provide equal opportunity to all test takers. When hiring managers put their trust on our assessments to make the best hiring decision, it is our duty to ensure that the instruments we use are dependable and sound.Ī test is considered ‘good’ if it meets the three criteria of being reliable, valid, and fair. Pre-employment assessments are professionally considered a good indicator of job-fit because of their reliability, validity, and fairness. The Reliability & Validity Of Pre-Employment Assessments

Test validity and reliability in assessment