Which of the following are measures of quality: A. validity B. accuracy C. precision D. All of the above E. None of the above

validity
accuracy
precision
All of the above E. None of the above

The correct answer is: D. All of the above

Validity, accuracy, and precision are all measures of quality.

  • Validity is the extent to which a measure accurately reflects the concept it is intended to measure. For example, a measure of intelligence that is highly correlated with academic performance is said to be valid.
  • Accuracy is the extent to which a measure is free from error. For example, a measure of weight that is accurate to within 0.1 pounds is said to be accurate.
  • Precision is the extent to which a measure yields consistent results. For example, a measure of blood pressure that yields the same result on repeated measurements is said to be precise.

All three of these qualities are important for a measure to be considered reliable and useful. A measure that is not valid is not measuring what it is supposed to measure, and so is not useful. A measure that is not accurate is not measuring the concept it is intended to measure with any precision, and so is not useful. And a measure that is not precise is not yielding consistent results, and so is not useful.

Therefore, all three of validity, accuracy, and precision are important measures of quality.