Validity and Reliability in Research

Validity and reliability are two foundational concepts in research quality. Reliability refers to the consistency and reproducibility of measurements: do repeated applications of an instrument yield the same results? Validity refers to the truthfulness of inferences: does an instrument measure what it claims to measure, and do study findings answer the research question appropriately? Cronbach and Meehl (1955) distinguished construct validity from other validity types; Campbell and Stanley (1963) categorized internal and external validity threats in experimental designs; and Messick (1995) unified validity concepts as 'the degree to which evidence and theory support the intended interpretations of test scores.' Contemporary frameworks encompass multiple validity types (construct, criterion, content, internal, external) and reliability estimates tailored to measurement context.