TYPES OF REALIBILITY &

EXAMPLES FOR EACH TYPE

Reliability
A reliable test is consistent and

dependable. If you give the same test to

the same students in two different
occasions, the test should yield similar
results.
Student-related reliability
Rater reliability
Test administration reliability
Test reliability

Student Related Reliability

The most common issue in student related

reliability is caused by temporary illness,

fatigue, a bad day, anxiety, and other
physical and psychological factors which
may make an observed score deviate
from a true score.

Rater Reliability
Human error, subjectivity, and bias may

enter into the scoring process.

Inter-rater reliability occurs when two or
more scorers yield inconsistent scores of
the same test, possibly for lack of
attention to scoring criteria, inexperience,
inattention, or even preconceived bias
toward a particular good and bad
student.
Intra- rater realibity is unclear scoring
criteria, fatigue, bias toward particular
good and bad students, or simple
carelessness.

Test Administration Reliability

Test administration reliability deals with the

conditions in which the test is

administered.
Street noise outside the building
bad equipment
room temperature
the conditions of chairs and tables,

photocopying variation

Example
The air- conditioner is not functioning

during final examination.

Test Reliability
The test is too long
Poorly written or ambiguous test items

References
Brown. Language Assessment.
Types of realibility.

http://changingminds.org/explanations/rese
arch/design/types_reliability.htm