Chapter 4 - Validity

Problems
• Consistently and accurately measure

Chapt 4 the abilities we want to measure
• Have a beneficial backwash

Chapt 6
• Are practical – economical in terms

Chapt 6 of time and money
• Consistently and accurately measure the
Validity abilities we want to measure
• Have a beneficial backwash

Backwash
• Are practical – economical in terms of

Practicality time and money
+
Chapter 4: Validity
+
Validity
A test is said to be valid if it measures
accurately the abilities it is intended to
measure
To measure writing ability, one might ask
students to write as many words as they can in
15 minutes, then simply count the words for the
final score. -> easy to administer (practical) &
the scoring quite dependable (reliable), but not
valid.
Conten Criterion
t
Evidence
Scoring
Face
+
1. Content validity
Relates to the content of the test

constituting a representative sample
of the language skills, structures, …
The test items should really represent
the course objectives.
Structures Content
Skill
• Elementary
• Intermediate
• Advanced
Relevant Content
Grammatical –
Structure Grammar
s test
Knowledge of
Grammar
Content validity
The basic
for
judgment
A specification
of skills or
structures
At a very early
stage in test
construction
+
1. Content validity
for example
Atest of tennis competency that asks
someone to run a 100-yard dash obviously
lacks content validity.
Atest assesses a person’s ability to speak a
second language, asking the learner to
answer paper-and-pencil multiple-choice
questions requiring grammatical judgments
does not achieve content validity.
+
2. Criterion-related validity
Relates to the degree to which
results on the test agree with those
provided by some independent and
highly dependable assessment of
the candidate’s ability. (= criterion)
Considerthe relationship between a
particular test and a criterion to
which we wish to predict or measure.
+
Teacher-made classroom
assessments -> criterion validity
A classroom test designed to assess

mastery of a point of grammar in
communicative use will have criterion
validity if test scores are corroborated
by other communicative measures of
the grammar point in the question.
Concurrent:
Test & criterion: at about
the same time
Criterion-
related
validity Predictive:
The test can predict
candidates’ future
performance
+
Examples
Concurrent validity Predictive validity
 Achievement tests  Proficiency tests
(TOEFL® or IELTS)
predict a St’s ability
to cope with a
graduate course at a
British university.
 Placement tests
+
3. Validity in scoring
The responses are scored must be

valid.
Ex: If we score short written answers
to a listening test for spelling and
grammar, it is invalid.
+
Writing rubric
2 1.5 1 0.5 0
Topic sent
concluding
coherence
Supporting
details
Grammar &
spelling
4.Face Validity
+
4.Face Validity
It looks to other testers, teachers,
moderators, and students as if it
measures what it is supposed to
measure.
The test can be judged to have face
validity by simply look at the items of
the test.
+
Examples
A test consisted of only three multiple
choice items doesn’t have face validity.
In speaking test, for instance face
validity can be shown by speaking
activities as the main activities in the
test. The test should focus on students
activities in speaking, not anything
else.
A test to measure pronunciation ability
but did not require the test taker to speak
+ Practice
Why are these tests invalid?
A listening test with written multiple choice
options may lack validity if the printed choices
are so difficult to read.
A reading test may lack validity if success in
the exam depends on information not
provided in the passage.
A composition test which requires students to
write about modern methods of transport may
not be valid.
 An oral interview
+
How to make tests more valid
Write explicit specifications

Use direct testing
Make sure the scoring relates directly
to what is being tested
Make the test reliable
+To overcome this, the test
constructor has to consider these:
a. Students will be more confident if they face a well-
constructed, expected format with familiar tasks.
b. Students will be less anxious if the test is clearly doable
within the allotted time limit.
c. Students will be optimistic if the items are clear and
uncomplicated (simple).
d. Students will find it easy to do the test if the directions
are very clear.
e. Students will be less worried if the tasks are related to
their course work (content validity).
f. Students will be at ease if the difficulty level presents a
reasonable challenge.
+
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Problems

• Consistently and accurately measure

• Have a beneficial backwash

• Are practical – economical in terms

• Have a beneficial backwash

• Are practical – economical in terms of

Relates to the content of the test

A classroom test designed to assess

The responses are scored must be

Write explicit specifications

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