What does Content Validity evaluate in a selection test?

• A. Whether the test is reliable across time.
• B. Whether the test scores predict job performance.
• C. Whether the test measures the right skill domain.
• D. Whether the actual content of the test is a representative sample of the tasks required on the job.

Answer: (D)

Content validity checks whether the test content mirrors the actual tasks and duties people perform on the job. In practice, this means using a job analysis to identify essential tasks and then selecting or designing test items that are a representative sample of those tasks. The goal is for the test to cover the relevant knowledge and skills that are required on the job, not content that’s unrelated to what the job entails. This focus on representativeness is what makes the test content valid for its intended purpose.

Reliability across time describes consistency of scores, which is different from whether the content matches job tasks. Predictive validity refers to how well test scores forecast job performance, which is about outcomes, not the content itself. The notion of measuring the “right skill domain” touches domain relevance, but content validity specifically centers on the representativeness of the test content to the actual job tasks.