Reliable And Valid Flashcards, test questions and answers
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What is Reliable And Valid?
Reliable and valid measures are important components of research and evaluation. Reliability is the consistency of a measurethe degree to which the same results are obtained each time a measure is applied. Validity is the accuracy or appropriateness of a measurethe degree to which it measures what it is supposed to measure.In order for a measure to be reliable, it must produce consistent results over time and across different people, contexts, or conditions. For example, if an IQ test does not give consistent results when taken by different people on different occasions, then it is not considered reliable because its scores are not consistent over time or across individuals. Reliability can be measured through internal consistency (e.g., Cronbach’s alpha), split-half reliability (e.g., Spearman-Brown), inter-rater reliability (e.g., Cohen’s kappa) and test-retest reliability (e.g., Pearson correlation). Validity refers to how well a measure accurately assesses what it purports to assess; for example, whether an IQ test actually measures someone’s intelligence quotient as opposed to something else like their personality type or gender identity. Validity can be measured through content validity (e.g., expert opinion survey), criterion validity (e.g., correlation with another instrument such as an achievement test) and construct validity (e.g., convergent/divergent techniques). Reliable and valid measures are necessary for accurate research results that can be trusted in decision making processes such as policy formation or resource allocation decisions in organizations or governments alike; they ensure that any conclusions drawn from the study are accurate and meaningful rather than simply random noise generated due to unreliable data collection methods used in the process of measuring whatever variables were examined in the study at hand.