If a test measures what it was intended to measure, it has a degree of what?

When a test measures what it was specifically designed to measure, it is said to possess validity. Validity is a critical aspect of assessment tools, as it ensures that the results accurately reflect the concept or skill that the test aims to evaluate. For example, if a test is created to assess physical fitness, its validity would depend on how well it measures the various aspects of physical fitness, such as strength, endurance, and flexibility, rather than unrelated factors.

In contrast, reliability refers to the consistency of the test results over time; a reliable test will yield the same results under consistent conditions. Safety pertains to the risk associated with the testing process and whether it poses any harm to the participant, while objectivity relates to the degree to which the measurement is free from bias, ensuring that different assessors would arrive at the same results. Validity focuses specifically on the accuracy of what the test is measuring, making it the appropriate choice in this context.