validity
Definition:Validity is the strength of our conclusions, inferences or propositions. More formally, Cook and Campbell (1979) define it as the "best available approximation to the truth or falsity of a given inference, proposition or conclusion." In short, were we right? Let's look at a simple example. Say we are studying the effect of strict attendance policies on class participation. In our case, we saw that class participation did increase after the policy was established. Each type of validity would highlight a different aspect of the relationship between our treatment (strict attendance policy) and our observed outcome (increased class participation). Types of Validity: There are four types of validity commonly examined in social research. 1. Conclusion validity asks is there a relationship between the program and the observed outcome? Or, in our example, is there a connection between the attendance policy and the increased participation we saw? 2. Internal Validity as