


Make sure the source is written by a trustworthy author and/or institution. How will you determine if the gathered data or information is valid and reliable? The evidence of validity and reliability are prerequisites to assure the integrity and quality of a measurement instrument. The purpose of establishing reliability and validity in research is essentially to ensure that data are sound and replicable, and the results are accurate. Why is reliability and validity important in research? The scale is reliable because it consistently reports the same weight every day, but it is not valid because it adds 5lbs to your true weight. For example, if your scale is off by 5 lbs, it reads your weight every day with an excess of 5lbs. What is validity and reliability examples?įor a test to be reliable, it also needs to be valid. Broadly defined, validity refers to the extent to which an instrument measures what it is supposed to be measuring. The validity of an instrument is another important issue for the clinician to consider when selecting a tool for use in data collection. Test-retest is a method that administers the same instrument to the same sample at two different points in time, perhaps one year intervals. Reliability can be assessed with the test-retest method, alternative form method, internal consistency method, the split-halves method, and inter-rater reliability. How do you determine the validity and reliability of data collection tools?
