Can someone give me a good working definition of the terms "validity" and "reliability?" Test Wednesday!

Question

I have a million definitions of all different kinds of validity, and I'm able to READ the book's definition, but it's not "clicking." If someone could put this in layman's terms for a lame person like me, I'd TRULY appreciate it!

Also, this is for a research methods class...just 5 more weeks, just 5 more weeks!

Answer 1

Validity mean it is measuring what it purports to measure. For instance, you have a new rating scale you think measures depression. Your subjects take your test scale and are also tested on several other recognized depression scales. If there is a high correlation between your test and the other recognized tests, then your test would have validity.

It is reliable if there is consistency in the scores - if it produces similar scores across time. If I score low on the depression scales consistently, then it would be considered reliable. If the questions were poorly written and perhaps were ambiguous, then the test might be both lacking in consistency and reliability. (Questions that focused on my mood at this moment rather than how I typically am would be reasonably expected to be poorer in reliability). Hope this helps.

Answer 2

while i became sixteen I objected to the term- my son- which got here from no longer my father yet an entire stranger. My mate hates being called a Chav, i'm no longer able to stand the term center elderly, it sounds greater like center a protracted time ! Geriatric is yet another bone of opposition ? What approximately Recycled teen or energetic Pensioner ? i think of I prefer Senior Citizen, yet there returned it incredibly is only my very very own own view. it incredibly is the priority there are constantly people who prefer to pigeonhole and steriotype all and sundry, yet all and sundry is somebody, at each age point and what seems to be the two acceptable to the age attained, the guy may be the two forward or backward to those years. a chum of mine is 40-one yet acts like a 80 year old, my mum while at 80 acted greater like a young person, so as that leaves the question why catigorise interior the 1st place? we are all area of the human race, as long as we don't come final who cares !!lol!!

Answer 3

The meaning of validity - is sort of means understanding the value/worth/truth of something. For instance, we try to validate our actions - in other words, we need to understand the reason why, or the what of what we do. Or we validate our parking - we prove that we have parked in the lot for x number of hours and the clock machine validates that so we know how much it is going to cost.
Reliability - can you rely on someone - in other words, if I ask you to do something are you trustworthy, can I "rely" (depend) on you to do what I ask.
Help any?

Answer 4

A reliable test will produce the same/similar results every time you do it.

A valid test will produce results that 'make sense' in the real world.

Reliable tests aren't always valid, but validity usually implies some degree of reliability.

Answer 5

Here are a couple of examples.

My car is reliable because it always starts. I can rely on it to get me where I am going.

You have a valid argument. It is logical and makes good sense.

Answer 6

Reliability is based on trust from pervious experience.
Validity is a means of proving something is true or not,

Validity is a 100% proof something will happen, where reliability is just a probability that it will happen.

Answer 7

His reliablity was extremely thorough and was always on time.

The validity of the concert ticket has expired. A valid ticket needs to be aquired before the next concert.