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Validity of a Test: 5 Factors | Statistics

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This article throws light upon the five main factors affecting the validity of a test. The
factors are: 1. Factors in the Test Itself 2. Functioning Content and Teaching Procedure
3. Factors in Test Administration and Scoring 4. Factors in Pupils’ Response 5. Nature
of the Group and the Criterion.

1. Factors in the Test Itself:

Each test contains items and a close scrutiny of test items will indicate whether the test
appears to measure the subject matter content and the mental functions of the teacher
wishes to test.

The following factors in the test itself can prevent the test items from
functioning as desired and thereby lower the validity:

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(a) Length of the test:

A test usually represents a sample of many questions. If the test is too short to become
a representative one, then validity will be affected accordingly. Homogeneous
lengthening of a test increases both validity and reliability.

The formula which determines the length to which a test may be increased
is:

In which:

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n = number of times a test is to be lengthened

rt = reliability of the test

rtc = correlation of the test with the criterion

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rtx = validity off the test

For example, the reliability coefficient of a test is .57 and it correlates .65 with teacher’s
rating. How many times it must be lengthened if a validity coefficient of .80 is sought.

(b) Unclear direction:

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If directions regarding how to respond to the items, whether it is permissible to guess

and how to record the answers, are not clear to the pupil, then the validity will tend to
reduce.

(c) Reading vocabulary and sentence structures which are too difficult:

The complicated vocabulary and sentence structure meant for the pupils taking the test
may fail in measuring the aspects of pupil performance; thus lowering the validity.
(d) Inappropriate level of difficulty of the test items:

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When the test items have an inappropriate level of difficulty, it will affect the validity of
the tool. For example, in criterion-referenced tests, failure to match the difficulty
specified by the learning outcome will lower the validity.

(e) Poorly constructed test items:

The test items which provide unintentional clues to the answer will tend to measure the
pupils’ alertness in detecting clues as well as the aspects of pupil performance which
ultimately affect the validity.

(f) Ambiguity:

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Ambiguity in statements in the test items leads to misinterpretation, differing

interpretation and confusion. Sometimes it may confuse the better students more than
the poorer ones resulting in the discrimination of items in a negative direction. As a
consequence, the validity of the test is lowered.

(g) Test items inappropriate for the outcomes being measured:

Many times what happens is that we try to measure certain complex types of
achievement, understanding, thinking, skills etc. with test forms that are appropriate
only for measuring factual knowledge. This affects the results and leads to a distortion
of the validity.

(h) Improper arrangement of items:

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Items in the test are generally arranged in order of difficulty with the easiest items first.
If the difficult items are placed early in the test, it may make the students spend too
much of their time on these and fail to reach other items which they could answer
easily.

Also, such an improper arrangement may influence the validity by having a negative
effect on pupil motivation.

(i) Identifiable pattern of answers:

When the students identify the systematic pattern of correct answer (e.g. T.T.F.F. or
ABCD, ABCD) they can cleverly guess the answers and this will affect the validity.

2. Functioning Content and Teaching Procedure:

In achievement testing, the functioning content of test items cannot be determined

only by examining the form and content of the test. The teacher has to teach fully how
to solve a particular problem before including it in the test.

Test of complex learning outcomes seem to be valid if the test items function as
intended. If the students have previous experience of the solution of the problem
included in the test, then such tests are no more a valid instrument for measuring the
more complex mental processes and they thus, affect the validity.

3. Factors in Test Administration and Scoring:

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The test administration and scoring procedure may also affect the validity of the
interpretations from the results. For instance, in teacher-made tests factors like
insufficient time to complete the test, unfair help to individual students, cheating
during the examination, and the unreliable scoring of essay answers might lead to
lower the validity.

Similarly in standardised tests the lack of following standard directions and time limits,
unauthorised help to students and errors in scoring, would tend to lower the validity.

Whether it is a teacher made test or standardised test, adverse physical and

psychological conditions during testing time may affect the validity.

4. Factors in Pupils’ Response:

There are certain personal factors which influence the pupils response to the test
situation and invalidate the test interpretation. The emotionally disturbed students,
lack of students’ motivation and students’ being afraid of test situation may not
respond normally and this may ultimately affect the validity.

Response set also influences the test results. It is the test taking habit which affects the
pupils score. If a test is used again and again its validity may be reduced.

5. Nature of the Group and the Criterion:

It has already been explained to you that validity is always specific to a particular
group. For example, an arithmetic test based on story problems may help us in
measuring reasoning ability in a slow group and a combination of simple recall of
information and computation skills in a more advanced group.

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There are certain factors like age, sex, ability level, educational background and cultural
background which influence the test measures. Therefore, the nature of the validation
group should find a mention in the test manuals.

The nature of the criterion used is another important consideration while evaluating
validity coefficient. For example, scores on a scientific aptitude test are likely to provide
a more accurate prediction of achievement in an environmental study course.

Other things being equal, the greater the similarity between the performance measured
by the test and the performance represented in the criterion, the larger the validity
coefficient.

Related Articles:
1. Merits and Demerits of Objective Type Test
2. Validity of a Test: 6 Types | Statistics

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