How can the quality of test procedures be judged?
There are three main quality criteria, which define the quality of a test: objectivity, reliability and validity. They are closely related. A good test should indeed meet all three main quality criteria; however, its analysis should be in a certain order. Between the main quality criteria the following relationship exits: objectivity is a necessary, albeit not sufficient condition for reliability; Reliability is a necessary, albeit inadequate condition for validity. A test that is not objective cannot be reliable and valid. And a test which, although objective but not reliable may also be denied without further review of the validity. Additionally, it is also possible that a test, although very much objective and reliable, doesn’t measure validly.
