Types of validity Definitions and Examples 1.Construct Validity 2.Content Validity 3.Face Validity 4.Criterion Validity What is validity? • Validity refers to how accurately a method measures what it is intended to measure. If research has high validity, that means it produces results that correspond to real properties, characteristics, and variations in the physical or social world. • High reliability is one indicator that a measurement is valid. If a method is not reliable, it probably isn’t valid. • However, reliability on its own is not enough to ensure validity. Even if a test is reliable, it may not accurately reflect the real situation. • The thermometer that you used to test the sample gives reliable results. However, the thermometer has not been calibrated properly, so the result is 2 degrees lower than the true value. Therefore, the measurement is not valid. • A group of participants take a test designed to measure working memory. The results are reliable, but participants’ scores correlate strongly with their level of reading comprehension. This indicates that the method might have low validity: the test may be measuring participants’ reading comprehension instead of their working memory. • Validity is harder to assess than reliability, but it is even more important. To obtain useful results, the methods you use to collect your data must be valid: the research must be measuring what it claims to measure. The validity is categorized into four main types which involve: •Construct validity •Content validity •Face validity •Criterion validity 1. Construct Validity What is a construct? A construct can be defined as a characteristic or concept that you cannot observe directly. However, you can measure it by observing the indicators that are related to it. • The constructs may constitute characteristics seen in individuals like happiness, intelligence, satisfaction, fitness, depression, etc. • Although, these may comprise of wider concepts too that are applied to social groups or bigger organizations, such as social responsibilities, freedom of choice, gender equality, freedom of speech, etc. • It’s impossible to directly measure “depression” as there is no objective or observable entity involved. But by doing some psychological research or existing theory, depression can be measured on the basis of various symptoms and indicators like low energy levels, lack of selfconfidence, etc. 2. Content Validity • Content validity is used for evaluating if a test can represent the different aspects of a specific construct. • In order to generate valid results, it’s essential that the content of the survey, test or any measurement method you use must cover the relevant & necessary areas of the subject it intends to measure. • In case there are some missing aspects from the measurement or you included irrelevant aspects, the validity is at stake. • For instance, a science teacher creates an end-of-semester biology test for her students. So, the test should include all topics of biology that were taught to the students in the class. If some topics are left out, then it would be difficult to determine the students’ understanding of that particular subject. • Likewise, if the teacher includes questions that are out of the syllabus and not related to biology, the results cannot be considered a valid measure of the students’ biology knowledge. 3. Face Validity • Face validity is simply whether the test appears (at face value) to measure what it claims to. This is the least sophisticated measure of validity. • Tests wherein the purpose is clear, even to naïve respondents, are said to have high face validity. • Face validity refers to the degree to which a test looks right, and appears to measure the knowledge or abilities it claims to measure, based on the subjective judgment of the examinees who take it and personnel who decide on its use. Teachers can increase students’ perception of fair tests by using • A well-constructed, expected format with familiar tasks • Tasks that can be accomplished within an allotted time limit • Items that are clear and uncomplicated • Directions that are crystal clear • Tasks that have been rehearsed in their previous course work • Tasks that relate to their course work (content validity) • A difficulty level that presents a reasonable challenge. 4. Criterion-Related Validity • Criterion validity plays a crucial role in evaluating the relativity of your test results, i.e. how closely a test’s results correspond to another test’s results. What is a criterion? A criterion can be defined as an external measurement of a similar thing. In other words, it is a widely popular and established test that has been considered valid already. Criterion validity is assessed by statistically testing a new measurement technique against an independent criterion or standard (concurrent validity) or against a future standard (predictive validity). Criterion validity is made up two subcategories: predictive and concurrent. • Predictive validity refers to the extent to which a survey measure forecasts future performance. A graduate school entry examination that predicts who will do well in graduate school has predictive validity. • Concurrent validity is demonstrated when two assessments agree or a new measure is compared favorably with one that is already considered valid.
