Certified Human Resource Professional (CHRP) Practice Exam

A test yields the same results over repeated applications. What quality measure has the test achieved?

1. Validity

2. Reliability

3. Accuracy

4. Consistency

The correct answer is: Reliability

The quality measure achieved by a test that yields the same results over repeated applications is reliability. Reliability refers to the consistency of a test's results across multiple administrations. When a test is reliable, it produces stable and consistent scores regardless of when the test is given or who is taking it, as long as the underlying ability being measured remains unchanged. For example, if a person takes a reliable test today and again next week under similar conditions, they should receive similar scores. This consistency in measurement is crucial in fields such as human resources, where accurate assessments of candidate abilities and attributes are needed for effective selection and development processes. Other terms like validity, accuracy, and consistency relate to different aspects of measurement. Validity refers to how well a test measures what it is intended to measure. Accuracy is about how close the test results are to the true value or actual performance. While consistency might seem similar to reliability, it is a broader term that does not specifically denote the statistical properties of tests, which is what reliability encompasses. Consequently, reliability is the correct term that specifically describes the scenario presented in the question.