© C.

Thatchinamoorthy Phd Scholar 2016

Meaning

Definition

Types

Factors influencing

Improve of test

© C.Thatchinamoorthy Phd Scholar 2016

Reliability is one of the important characteristics of
any test.

It refer to the precision or accuracy of the

measurement of score.

Reliability refers to the stability of a test measure or

protocol.

© Thatchinamoorthy, PhD scholar

Rosenthal(1991): Reliability is a major concern when a
psychological test is used to measure some attribute
or behaviour.

Anastasi (1968): Reliability refers to the consistency

of scores obtained by the same individuals when re-
examined with test on different occasions, or with
different sets of equivalent items, or under other
variable examining conditions.

© Thatchinamoorthy, PhD scholar

Three important types

◦ Test –Retest Reliability

◦ Split – half or Internal Consistency Reliability

◦ Parallel forms reliability or Equivalent - forms

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In test –retest reliability the single form of the test is
administered twice on the same sample with a
reasonable time gap.

In this way two administration of the same form of

the two independent sets of scores.

The two sets, when correlated, give the value of the

reliability coefficient.

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 Same Test
Same Sample
Different Times

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Measure instrument at two times for multiple
persons.

Compute correlation between the two measures.

Assumes there is no change in the underlying trait

between time 1 and time 2.

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Contributing factors:
◦ (1) Clear instructions for administrators, research
participants, and raters

◦ (2) Tasks/questions in participants’ first language or

target language at appropriate level of difficulty

◦ (3) Unambiguously phrased tasks/questions

Other name Internal Consistency reliability

It indicates the homogeneity of the test

This method the test is divided into two equal or

nearly halves

Common way of this test is the odd-even method

© Thatchinamoorthy, PhD scholar

© Thatchinamoorthy, PhD scholar
Indicates that subjects’ scores on some trials
consistently match their scores on other trials
Contributing factors:
◦ (1) Careful item writing, guided by item specifications

◦ (2) Field test and item analysis

◦ (3) Construction of tests with reference to item performance

This reliability various names such as,

◦ Alternative- forms reliability

◦ Equivalent –forms reliability

◦ Comparable – forms reliability

© Thatchinamoorthy, PhD scholar

The alternative forms technique to estimate reliability is
similar to the test retest method, except that
different measures of a behaviour (rather than the
same measure) are collected at different times.

If the correlation between the alternative forms is

low, it could indicate that considerable measurement
error is present, because two different scales were
used.

© Thatchinamoorthy, PhD scholar

© Thatchinamoorthy, PhD scholar
Contributing factors:
◦ (1) The development of equivalent forms from specifications
that describe tool content

◦ (2) Trial of tools before data collection to ensure

equivalence
Group Variability

Guessing by the examinees

Environmental Conditions
When the group of examinees being tested is
homogenous in ability, the reliability of the test scores
is likely to be lowered.

But when the examinees vary widely in their range of

ability, that is, the group of examinees is a
heterogeneous one, the reliability of the test scores is
likely to be high.
Guessing in a test is an important source of
unreliability.

In two alternative response options there is a 50 %

chance of answering the items correctly on the basis of
the guess.
Testing environment should be uniform

Arrangement should be such that light, sound, and

other comforts are equal and uniform to all the
examinees.

Otherwise it will tend to lower the reliability of the test

scores
The group of examinees should be heterogeneous, that
is, the examinees should vary widely in their ability or
trait being measured.

Items should be homogenous.

Test should preferably be a longer one.
Items should be discriminatory ones.
C.Thatchinamoorhy (2015-16) Class Notes, AEX 812-
Advances in designs and techniques in Social Science
Research (2+1)

Dr.T.Rathakrishnan (2009). Advances & Challenges in

Agricultural Extension & Rural Development.

Rosenthal, R. and Rosnow, R. L. (1991). Essentials of

Behavioral Research: Methods and Data Analysis. Second
Edition. McGraw-Hill Publishing Company, pp. 46-65

http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/mtmmmat.htm

© Taylor & Francis 2014

 C.Thatchinamoorthy,
I Ph.D. Agricultural Extension,
Department Agricultural Extension,
Faculty of Agriculture
Annamalai University
Annamalainagar .
tmthatchupeaceful@gmail.com

© Taylor & Francis 2014