Representation validity
Encyclopedia
Representation validity is concerned about how well the constructs or abstraction
s translate into observable measures. There are two primary questions to be answered:
One way to argue positively, albeit a very weak argument, is to claim face validity
for the construct/observable relationship. Basically this is making the following claim: on the face of it, it seems like a good translation. The weakness of this argument can be strengthened by a consensus of experts.
Another way to argue positively is to claim content validity
for the construct/observable relationship. To do this one must check the operationalization
against the relevant content domain for the construct: to extent to which the tests (i.e., the observable measures) measure the content of the subject being tested — i.e., that all the important content areas are covered adequately.
Abstraction
Abstraction is a process by which higher concepts are derived from the usage and classification of literal concepts, first principles, or other methods....
s translate into observable measures. There are two primary questions to be answered:
- Do the sub-constructs properly define the construct (if you break up the main abstractions into smaller abstractions or definitions)?
- Do the observationObservationObservation is either an activity of a living being, such as a human, consisting of receiving knowledge of the outside world through the senses, or the recording of data using scientific instruments. The term may also refer to any data collected during this activity...
s properly interpret, measure, or test the constructs?
One way to argue positively, albeit a very weak argument, is to claim face validity
Face validity
Face validity is a property of a test intended to measure something. It is the validity of a test at face value. In other words, a test can be said to have face validity if it "looks like" it is going to measure what it is supposed to measure...
for the construct/observable relationship. Basically this is making the following claim: on the face of it, it seems like a good translation. The weakness of this argument can be strengthened by a consensus of experts.
Another way to argue positively is to claim content validity
Content validity
In psychometrics, content validity refers to the extent to which a measure represents all facets of a given social construct. For example, a depression scale may lack content validity if it only assesses the affective dimension of depression but fails to take into account the behavioral dimension...
for the construct/observable relationship. To do this one must check the operationalization
Operationalization
In humanities, operationalization is the process of defining a fuzzy concept so as to make the concept clearly distinguishable or measurable and to understand it in terms of empirical observations...
against the relevant content domain for the construct: to extent to which the tests (i.e., the observable measures) measure the content of the subject being tested — i.e., that all the important content areas are covered adequately.