Validity Evidence
Validity research focuses on the claims associated with a test’s scores. It is important to conduct validity research in order to determine whether it is appropriate to use scores as evidence of what test takers know and can do.
In the case of the TOEFL® test, researchers conduct studies of these validity-related topics:
Factor structure — the relationship among the test's target skills
Construct representation — how well the test tasks measure the important English-language skills required for academic success
Criterion-related and predictive validity — whether test takers' scores reliably predict how well they will be able to use English in higher education classrooms where it is the language of instruction
Consequential validity — the effect that the test has on language learning and instruction