Internal vs. external validity
A randomized trial of 40 volunteer honors students at one university finds that a new study technique raises exam scores. Critics argue the result may not apply to community college students. This concern is about:
Answer A: explanation for every choice
Correct. External validity is whether results generalize to other populations, settings, and times.
Internal validity is whether the independent variable caused the change within the study. Randomization supports it, and the critics are not questioning causation.
Construct validity is whether a measure captures the concept it is meant to, for example whether exam scores reflect learning.
Inter-rater reliability is agreement between different observers scoring the same thing.
Reviewed 2026-11-05 by a medical student. Spot an error? Report it with question ID ps12.