Validity » Valid

The extent to which a test actually measures what it purports to measure, and samples the actions, opinions, or performances, etc., relevant to the purpose of the test (content validity), provides data intelligible in terms of the theoretical framework associated with the phenomenon being assessed (concurrent and predictive validity), supplies a measure of the phenomenon inconsequentially affected by other factors – and therefore correctly discriminates between groups which differ on the trait in question (discriminant or divergent validity), and produces test results which make a substantial contribution to knowledge beyond what information has already been accumulated for the assessment procedure (incremental validity); or that the findings of a piece of research can be generalized beyond the sample of people who participated in the study (external validity);

that which is meaningful, correct, or well-grounded.

In argument validity refers to the situation in which the reason or reasons provided adequately support the conclusion such that if the reasons are true it is impossible for the conclusion to be false.

(see also: reliability)

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