Which term describes the degree to which a measurement tool measures what it is intended to measure?

• A. TREND
• B. ACCURACY
• C. VERIFICATION
• D. VALIDITY

Answer: (D)

Validity is the degree to which a measurement tool measures what it is intended to measure. It ensures that the data reflect the actual target construct or behavior, not something else. In practice, validity is about how well the items or methods capture the intended attribute—for example, a test designed to assess problem-solving should truly measure problem-solving skills, not just memory or word recognition. A tool can be consistent and precise (reliable) yet fail to be valid if it’s measuring the wrong thing. Different forms of validity help evaluate this fit, such as content validity (do the items cover the relevant aspects?), criterion-related validity (do results align with an established measure of the same construct?), and construct validity (do results behave as theory would predict with related variables?).