Final answer:
Validity is the term used to describe whether a test or survey measures what it is supposed to measure. It is essential for research accuracy and incorporates different forms, such as construct and ecological validity, to ensure proper representation of the phenomena studied.
This correct answer is D.
Step-by-step explanation:
Ensuring that a test or a survey effectively measures what it is supposed to measure is known as validity. Validity refers to the degree to which an instrument, such as a test or survey, accurately measures what it is designed to measure.
A valid measure must be reliable; however, a reliable measure is not necessarily valid, as it might consistently produce results that are not accurate.
For example, a kitchen scale that consistently gives the wrong weight for a given amount of cereal is reliable in its consistency but not valid, as it doesn't provide the true weight.
Validity is a critical component in research and data collection, ensuring that operational definitions and practical measures indeed reflect what they are intended to measure.
Researchers consider various types of validity, such as construct validity and ecological validity, to ensure their study appropriately represents the phenomena under investigation.
This correct answer is D.