Split Half Method

Steps:
1. Administer the test to a large group students (ideally, over about 30).
2. Randomly divide the test questions into two parts. For example, separate even
questions from odd questions.
3. Score each half of the test for each student.
4. Find the correlation coefficient for the two halves.
Drawbacks
One drawback with this method: it only works for a large set of questions (a 100 point test is
recommended) which all measure the same construct/area of knowledge. For example, this
personality inventory test measures introversion, extroversion, depression and a variety of
other personality traits. This is not a good candidate for split-half testing.

Formula:
2 × Reliability of half test
Reliability of Full Test =
1 + Reliability of half test
i) calculation of Reliability
(a) When correlation between any two parts for ' n ' no. of parts given, then
nr p
Rw =
1 + (n - 1)rp
Where, R w = Stepped up reliability
r p = Correlation between any two Parts.
n = number of parts.
(b) When the proportion of the group doing correctly and the proportion doing incorrectly, are
given, the reliability is calculated by using formula,

n 𝜎 2 - 𝛴pq
Rw =
n-1 𝜎2
Where, R w = Reliability coefficient of the whole test.
n = number of items in the test
𝜎 = standard deviation of the test score.
P = proportion of the group answering a test item correctly. and
q = the proportion of the group answering a test item in correctly.
C) When mean of the test score is given, reliability is calculated by using formula,
n𝜎 2 -M(n-M)
Ra = (n-1)𝜎 2
Where, M = mean of the test score.
𝜎 = standard deviation of the test score
n = number of items in the test.
ii. For the estimation of true score.
⏨
T = r × O + (1 - r) X
Where, r = reliability coefficient
O = observed score
⏨ = Mean score
X
⏨= True score.
T
iii. For confidence interval (C.I)
C. I = T ± t𝛼/2 S.E.
C. I = confidence interval
Where, T = true score
t 𝛼/2 = Critical value for two tail test at 𝛼 level of significance
S.E. = standard error
Here, S.E is calculated by using the relation.

Where, S. E = 𝜎 (1 - r)r
r = standard error
𝜎 = reliability coefficient
iv. Validity and the length of a Test.
The inerease in length of a test not only increases it's reliability but also increases its validity.
The effect of increase in length upon the validity coefficient is estimated by the formula.

nr(cx)
r n(cx) =
n + n(n - 1)rw
Where r n(cx) = coefficient of correlation between the criterion ' c ' and 'n '
form of a test x or test lengthened n times.
r(x) - The coefficient of correlation between the criterion c
and the given tost x.

r w = he reliability coefficient of est x

n = number of parallel form of the test x or the number of items it is lengthened
Problem 1.
A test has reliability coeffficeint 0.75 and a correlation of 0.5 with a criterion. What will be the
valitity of the testt of the length is doubled?
Solution:
Reliability cocfficient (r w ) = 0.75
Correlation r (cx) = 0.55
No. of times it's lengthened (n) = 2
Vaidity r n(cx) = ?
We have,
nr(cx)
r n(cx) =
n + n(n - 1)r w
2 × 0.55
=
2 + 2(2 - 1)0.75
1.10
=
2 + 2 + 1 × 0.75
∴ rn (cx) = 0.59
This means that the doubling of the length of the test will increase the validity coefficient from
0.55 to 0.59 .

Problem 2
A test-score is divided in two halves as the scores on the odd numbered questions and the
scores on the even numbered. The correlation coefficient between them is obtained as 0.78 .
What is the reliability coefficient of the whole test?
Correlation coefficient (r xy ) = 0.78
number of parts (n) = 2
nrxy
Reliability coefficient (R xy ) =
1+(n-1)rxy
2 × rxy
=
1 + rxy
2 × 0.78
=
1 + 0.78
1.56
=
1.78
= 0.88
Problem 3
A reading test has the mean of 71 and s.d of 12 . On the other hand an arithmetic test has
the mean 33 and s.d. 8. Suppose x' s score is 72 in reading tested 27 in arithmetic test.
Convert x′ s scores the standard score with mean 100 and s.d. 20.
Solution:
Given,
Reading test Arithmetic test
 ⏨ = 71
X ⏨ = 33
X
s.d. (𝜎) = 12 s.d. (𝜎) = 8
X's score = 72 X's score = 27

Mean standard score ( ⏨ X ) = 100

s.d. of standard score (𝜎) = 20
X- ⏨
X
For reading test Z = 𝜎
72 - 71
Z=
12
𝜎 - Score of X for reading test = Z = 0.083
X 's standard reading score is given by
= Mean of standard score +z × s.d. of standard score
= 100 + (0.083 × 20)
= 100 + 1.66