A reliable test is consistent and dependable. If you give the same test to the same student or matched students on two different occasions, the test should yield similar result. The issue of reliability of a test may best be addressed by considering a number of factors that may contribute to the unreliability of a test. Consider the following possibilities (adapted from Mousavi, 2002, p. 804): fluctuations in the student, in scoring, in test administration, and in the test itself.