Moreover, that information is of higher quality for a particular purpose than information available from alternative sources. To begin a discussion of reliability and validity, let us first pose the most fundamental question in psychometrics: Why are we testing people? Why are we going through an extensive and expensive process to develop examinations, inventories, surveys, and other forms of assessment? The answer is that the assessments provide information, in the form of test scores and subscores, that can be used for practical purposes to the benefit of individuals, organizations, and society.

For more information, we recommend you delve into books that are dedicated to the topic.

This post provide an introduction to this incredibly complex topic. There is a ton of work that goes into establishing validity and reliability, and that work never ends! But because it is such a complex situation, it is not a simple yes/no answer of whether a test is good. Because test scores are often used for very important purposes with high stakes, it is of course paramount that the tests be of high quality. Both of them refer to the quality of a test, the scores it produces, and how we use those scores. Test score reliability and validity are core concepts in the field of psychometrics and assessment. Lecture Notes – Online Course in Psychometrics and Assessment.TestAssembler (Automated Form Assembly).Accreditation of Certification Programs.FastTest – Item Banking & Online Testing.

Validity and reliability