Research Methods-Reliability and Validity Flashcards
What is reliability?
Reliability is about consistency - we can rely on the results. If you repeat the same study or test, you should get the same outcome.
What is internal reliability?
The extent to which something (such as a questionnaire) is consistent within itself. For a questionnaire to have high internal reliability, all questions should be assessing the same thing (or am aspect of it).
What is external reliability?
The extent to which a measure varies over time. A questionnaire or interview should produce the same results each time it is used with the same person.
What is validity?
The legitimacy or soundness of a measurement or study.
What is internal validity?
Whether a study or measure has measured what it intended to measure.
What is Mundane Realism?
The extent to which features of a research study mirror the ‘real’ world (everyday life).
What is external validity?
The extent to which the research finding can be generalised beyond the research situation.
What is ecological validity?
Concerns the research setting i.e the environment in which the study was conducted, and whether we can generalise from this to other settings such as everyday life.
What is population validity?
Concerns the research population, i.e the people used in the study, and whether we can generalise from them to other people.
What is temporal validity?
Whether findings from a study hold true over time.
