What does construct validity focus on in test development?

• A. Whether the test actually measures the intended construct.
• B. Whether the test is easy for all students.
• C. Whether the test has high reliability.
• D. Whether the test is unambiguous.

Answer: (A)

Construct validity focuses on whether the test actually measures the intended construct. When you develop a test, you’re testing a theoretical attribute, like mathematical reasoning or reading motivation, so the evidence you gather should show that the test content, the way items are structured, and the relationships of the test scores to other measures all support that it taps that specific concept. This includes examining whether the test samples the domain of the construct (content validity), how scores relate to other measures of the same or different constructs (convergent and discriminant validity), and whether the test’s internal structure matches the theorized dimensions (factorial validity) or predictive outcomes (criterion validity).

Other qualities don’t directly address whether the test measures the intended construct. Ease of use concerns accessibility or fairness, reliability concerns consistency of scores, and unambiguous items concern clarity. A test can be reliable and clear or easy, yet still fail to measure the exact construct it’s meant to assess.