Validating assessments: Introduction to the Special Section

Abstract

Background: Validation is the process of providing evidence that tests and questionnaires are adequately and appropriately fulfilling the purposes for which they are developed. In this special issue, experts from several countries describe specific approaches to test validation and provide examples of their approach. These approaches and examples illustrate the validation framework implied by the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing.

Method: We describe the Standards' approach for building a validity argument based on validity evidence based on test content, response processes, internal structure, relations to other variables, and testing consequences.

Results: The five articles provide comprehensive examples of gathering data regarding these five sources of evidence and how they contribute to the validation of the use of test scores for particular purposes.

Conclusions: These five articles provide concrete examples of how the five sources of validity evidence suggested by the Standards can be used to develop a sound validity argument to support the use of a test for its intended purposes.