ABSTRACT
Validation requires an evaluation of the claims based on assessment results, particularly their proposed interpretations and uses. The inferences and assumptions inherent in these claims can be specified in an interpretation/use argument, or IUA, and can then be evaluated in a validity argument. Validation generally involves both a functional perspective, which focuses on how well the assessment serves its intended function, and a measurement perspective, which focuses on the quality of the assessment as a measurement instrument. Depending on the goals and context of the assessment and on the claims being made, one or the other of these perspectives may be emphasized. The functional perspective examines how well the assessment achieves certain desirable outcomes and tends to be emphasized if the assessment is to be used in a particular context to achieve a particular purpose. The measurement perspective examines the generalizability of scores, and is particularly important when the assessment results are to be shared more broadly. Classroom assessments are used locally for specific purposes, and as a result their validation relies primarily on a functional perspective and secondarily on a measurement perspective.
