ABSTRACT
A ll disciplines rely on the accurate assessment of variables of interest. As intuitive as this statement is, it is sometimes forgotten in the excitement of proposing new ways to accomplish goals or designing research
projects. For example, if we believe that exposure to a particular exercise regimen will improve a specific attribute of a group of individuals (e.g., physical fitness, attitude toward activity, or knowledge about heart rates), how do we determine whether our belief is true or not? Implicit in making such a determination is the fact that we can accurately assess the amount of the specific attribute the individuals possess. There exists an entire field of study-measurement-that involves examination of the procedures for developing, evaluating the accuracy of, and refining measurement practices associated with variables of interest to the exercise scientist. Because the measurement process is complex, there are several key concepts with which the measurement specialist must be familiar to develop, evaluate, and refine measurement practices.
