Measurement: Validity, Reliability, Accuracy (The Basics)

Validity. Data have validity if they accurately measure the phenomenon they are supposed to represent.

Reliability. Data have reliability if similar results would be produced if the same measurement or procedure were performed multiple times on the same population.

Accuracy. Data are accurate if estimates from the data do not widely deviate from the true population value.

So basic, but so important.

From the National Science Foundation – Science & Engineering Indicators 2018 Methodology.

Measurement: Validity, Reliability, Accuracy (The Basics)