Discussion – Construct Validity

Discussion – Construct Validity

Construct validity refers to the experimental depiction that a test measures the construct it asserts to be measuring (McCleary et al., 2017). Fink (2010) argues that construct validity can be measured in two ways. One of them includes the researcher hypothesizing that a measure can create a distinction between two groups on some vital variable. For instance, a measure of sympathy should show that people with a high score are sympathetic while those with a lower score are not. The second one includes the researcher hypothesizing that the new measure correlates with one or more measures of the same attribute and does not correlate with measures of different attributes. It could also incorporate a study of differential groups whereby a comparison of the two groups’ performances is made based on the assumption that one has the construct while the other does not. According to McCleary et al. (2017), construct validity is important because it is used as an index of a variable that researchers may not be able to observe directly, such as aggression and intelligence. The lack of construct validity also makes it hard to interpret results in a study, thus making it essential in research. External validity is, on the other hand, defined as how well the outcome of the research can be expected to be applicable to other settings (McCleary et al., 2017). External validity is important because it helps determine whether research is relevant for the intended audience or not. External validity is also quite important in making recommendations on policies to be formulated and implemented. Inferring causal effects from different studies to a specific policy context needs careful consideration of both empirical evidence and theory, thus guiding discussions on some important concepts, what to avoid, and important references to consider for effective policy implementation.

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References

Fink, A. (2010). Survey research methods. International Encyclopedia of Education, 152-160. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-08-044894-7.00296-7

McCleary, R., McDowall, D., & Bartos, B. J. (2017). Construct validity. Oxford Scholarship Online. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190661557.003.0008

McCleary, R., McDowall, D., & Bartos, B. J. (2017). External validity. Oxford Scholarship Online. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190661557.003.0009

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What is construct validity, and why is it important? What is meant by external validity, and why is it important?