Validity and Reliability of Tests

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Pre-employment testing is necessary in order to see if the applicants have the skills required to perform a specific job. To ensure legal defensibility is also essential for employers.

Reliability

The reliability of the test depends on its performance in measuring the skills necessary for the job. If an individual takes the test repeatedly and scores the same in every attempt, then we can say that it is reliable.

Types of reliability

Following are the types of reliability:

1. Test-retest reliability

reliability is indicated by making the applicants take the same test at different timings. For example, if applicants take the same test two times in a week, then the results of those tests would indicate reliability.

2. Alternate or parallel from reliability

The stability of the test is indicated after the pre-employment tests are taken. To check the reliability of logical test reasoning, write down questions, and divide them into two parts. If both parts give the same result. It means that both parts have identical features.

3. Inter-rater reliability

A test can be considered reliable if two different raters give the same score. 

4. Internal consistency reliability

If the same results are obtained from the test’s various characteristics, the test is reliable.

Validity

Validity is defined as the degree to which the pre-employment filtering test assesses, its primary focus of assessment, and how well evaluating the competencies of the folks who applied for the job.

Validity has the same importance as reliability. Both are significant.

It helps in identifying the characteristics and skills required for a specific job are being measured or not. Features can also include education and experience

It enables you to decide on short-listing people. That decision is mostly based on their performance in the pre-employment test.

It also helps in determining if the pre-employment test is good enough for a specific job.

Types of validity

Following are the types of validity:

1. Construct validity

Construct validity helps ensure that only the characteristics and skills necessary for a particular job are being measured and not the aspects or abilities not related to the job requirements. Such factors and skills are required to be measured before hiring because those characteristics and skills are necessary for performing the job.

2. Content validity

Content validity ensures that the pre-employment test’s content is related to the skills and requirements of the job. For example, if you want to hire someone who can make manual reports, it’s important to if the person is active enough to get work on time.

3. Criterion-related validity

Criterion-related validity determines the relationship between the pe-employment test and job performance. Those individuals who score higher than others are supposed to perform better than others on the actual job.