How do you communicate the value of criterion-related validity to stakeholders and candidates?

1 What is criterion-related validity?

Criterion-related validity is a type of validity that evaluates how well a test or assessment correlates with a relevant outcome, such as job performance, productivity, or turnover. For example, if a test of cognitive ability has a high criterion-related validity for a sales position, it means that the test scores are strongly related to the sales performance of the candidates. Criterion-related validity can be divided into two subtypes: predictive validity and concurrent validity. Predictive validity measures how well a test predicts future performance, while concurrent validity measures how well a test relates to current performance.

2 Why is criterion-related validity important?

Criterion-related validity is important because it helps to ensure that the selection process is fair, accurate, and legally defensible. A test or assessment with high criterion-related validity can help to identify the best candidates for a job, based on their potential or actual performance. This can improve the quality of hire, reduce turnover, and enhance organizational effectiveness. Moreover, criterion-related validity can help to avoid discrimination and bias in the selection process, as it shows that the test or assessment is relevant and job-related, not based on arbitrary or irrelevant factors.

3 How to calculate criterion-related validity?

Criterion-related validity can be calculated by using a statistical technique called correlation. Correlation is a measure of how two variables are related, ranging from -1 to 1. A positive correlation means that as one variable increases, the other variable also increases. A negative correlation means that as one variable increases, the other variable decreases. A zero correlation means that there is no relationship between the two variables. To calculate criterion-related validity, you need to correlate the test or assessment scores with the performance or outcome scores. The higher the correlation, the higher the criterion-related validity.

4 How to interpret criterion-related validity?

Criterion-related validity can be interpreted by using a guideline called the coefficient of determination, or r-squared. This is a value that indicates how much of the variation in the performance or outcome scores can be explained by the test or assessment scores. For example, if the correlation between a test and a performance measure is 0.5, the coefficient of determination is 0.25, which means that 25% of the variation in performance can be attributed to the test. The higher the coefficient of determination, the more predictive or concurrent the test or assessment is.