ERIC Number: EJ1104509
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2016
Pages: 20
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0969-594X
EISSN: N/A
Disagreement over the Best Way to Use the Word "Validity" and Options for Reaching Consensus
Newton, Paul E.; Shaw, Stuart D.
Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, v23 n2 p178-197 2016
The ability to convey shared meaning with minimal ambiguity is highly desirable for technical terms within disciplines and professions. Unfortunately, there is no widespread professional consensus over the meaning of the word "validity" as it pertains to educational and psychological testing. After illustrating the nature and extent of disagreement, we consider three options for reaching consensus: to eliminate its ambiguity by agreeing a precise technical definition; to embrace its ambiguity by agreeing a catchall lay usage; and to retire "validity" from the testing lexicon.
Descriptors: Test Validity, Validity, Ambiguity (Semantics), Psychological Testing, Educational Testing, Ideology, Educational Philosophy, Educational Quality, Opinions, Individual Differences, Program Validation
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A