Final answer:
Standardized tests must have validity to ensure that they accurately measure the intended constructs. Validity pertains to the test's ability to measure what it's supposed to measure, as opposed to reliability, which is about consistency. Tests like the SAT aim for high predictive validity to gauge college readiness.
Step-by-step explanation:
It is vital that standardized tests have validity so that the individuals administering the tests can be sure they are measuring what they are supposed to measure. The correct answer is d) Validity.
Validity ensures that the tool or test accurately measures the construct it intends to measure. For example, standardized tests such as the SAT are scrutinized for their predictive validity, which refers to the test's ability to predict first-year college students' performance. While reliability refers to the consistency of a measurement (i.e., a test producing the same results under consistent circumstances), validity is about the accuracy and appropriateness of the test's content.
When a test is valid, it actually measures what it purports to measure, such as a student's aptitude for college. However, a test could be reliable but not valid if, for instance, it consistently measures the wrong construct. Therefore, in education and social sciences, researchers and educators seek to use instruments that are not only reliable but, most crucially, valid.