011_Measurement Reliability and Validity

Question 1

Dilemma

Answer 1

How do I measure teachers’ attitudes toward students with emotional difficulties so the results are valid and reliable?

• Social desirability
• Frustration, anger, anxiety, etc.

Question 2

Validity

Answer 2

How do I know if the results from my measure are valid?

Validity = the extent to which an instrument or approach measures what it purports to measure.

Validity resides with the interpretation, NOT with the instrument!

Question 3

Reliability

Answer 3

How do I know that the results from my measure are reliable?

Reliability: A measure is said to be reliable if it consistently yields the same, or nearly the same, results over repeated administrations.

Reliability resides with the consistency of results; not the instrument itself

Question 4

Relationship of Reliability to Validity

Answer 4

• reliable but not valid
• low validity low reliability
• not reliable not valid
• both reliable and valid

Question 5

Selecting Measures

Answer 5

APA Handbook of Testing and Assessment
• PsycNET, PsycTests
• Mental Measurement Yearbook (Buros)
“Intelligence is what intelligence tests test.” — E. G. Boring (1923)

Question 6

tests

Answer 6

TRT r = .90 (2 sub-scales) great

TRT r = .70 (7 sub-scales)