ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses the foundational area of validity with an emphasis on the implications of this foundational area for rater-mediated assessments. It provides an overview of changes in the definitions of validity over time, to describe the consensus definition of validity provided by the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing. The chapter discusses the concept of validity as it applies specifically to rater-mediated assessments. It examines how validity can be viewed within the context of rater-mediated assessments. The chapter summarizes the themes emphasized in the standards within each cluster. It shows that validity evidence for rater-mediated assessments should reflect the complex nature of these assessments that depend in a fundamental way on raters' engagement in judgmental processes. Accordingly, the Wright map for a rater-mediated assessment can be seen as a summary of rater judgment regarding students, items, and other facets across a set of raters.
