Which of the following is essential for assessment validity?

Measuring what is supposed to be measured is essential for assessment validity because validity ensures that an assessment accurately reflects the knowledge, skills, or abilities that it claims to evaluate. For an assessment to be valid, it must align with the specific learning outcomes or objectives it intends to assess. This means that if a test is designed to measure a particular skill or understanding, it should consist of questions or tasks that directly relate to those educational goals.

When assessments fulfill this criterion, educators can be confident in the results, as they genuinely represent what students know and can do. Failing to measure what is intended, such as focusing on unrelated skills or providing assessments that diverge from the learning objectives, compromises validity and undermines the assessment's purpose.

Other options may suggest various practices related to assessment but do not enhance the validity of the results in the same way. For instance, assessing only student participation may reflect engagement but does not provide evidence of understanding or mastery of content. Being lenient with grading can lead to inflated perceptions of student performance, compromising the reliability of scores. Lastly, relying solely on standardized tests may not capture the full spectrum of a student’s abilities or learning outcomes, particularly those that are not easily quantifiable through such methods.