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Criterion validity

Criterion validity measures the tool of research with an
external criterion. The measurement result from the research tool
is compared with the measurement result of external criteria to
find out if there exists any relationship between both or not. For

◆ Comparison with example, a researcher is studying the effectiveness of classes taken
external criteria by a Professor in a college. The researcher compares this score of
effectiveness with the external criteria which can be the number
of research publications published by the Professor to find out if
there is any relationship between the two. Higher the correlation,
higher is the criterion validity of the research tool. The researcher
should ensure that the concerned criterion is relevant, available,
reliable, and free from bias.
It includes predictive validity and concurrent validity. Predictive
validity indicates the success of the measurement instruments used
◆ Predictive and to predict. It refers to the usefulness of a test in predicting some
concurrent validity future performance. Concurrent validity is used to estimate the
current state. It refers to the usefulness of a test in closely relating
to other measures of known validity.
Construct validity

Construct validity measures the overall validity of the research
tool. A measure is said to possess construct validity to the degree
that it confirms to predicted correlations with other theoretical
propositions. For determining construct validity, we associate a
set of other propositions with the results received from using our
measurement instrument. If measurements on our devised scale
correlate in a predicted way with these other propositions, we can
◆ Measure theoretical conclude that there is some construct validity. It is used to check the
construct quality of research tools. The researcher has to carefully develop
the constructs or indicators while framing the research tool i.e., it
should be in such a way that the tool should actually measure what
the study intends to measure. For example, a researcher studies
the pain suffered by heart patients. If the researcher measures the
pain of anxiety instead of measuring the pain caused as a result of
surgery, it will affect the quality of research.
c. Practicality

From a theoretical point of view a measure should be
reliable and valid. However, from a practical point of view the
measures must be economical, convenient and interpretable. The
◆ Economical, measuring instrument should be designed accordingly. Economic
convenient and
interpretable consideration suggests that some trade-off is quality of the study
and the time and cost required to complete it. Convenience implies
the ease with which an instrument such as a questionnaire could
easily be administered to the subjects, respondents, or participants.

112 SGOU - SLM -MCom Research Methodology