Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Accuracy. Validity Reliability PDF
Accuracy. Validity Reliability PDF
The Stage 6 Science (Physics, Chemistry and Biology) syllabus asks students to distinguish between these
terms in both first-hand investigations and when using secondary sources. NB. Students often confuse
these terms.
(c) design investigations that allow valid and reliable data and information to be collected
Outcome P12: discusses the validity and reliability of data gathered from first-hand investigations and
secondary sources
Outcome H12: evaluates ways in which accuracy and reliability could be improved in investigations
(e) assess the reliability of first-hand and secondary information and data by considering information
from various sources
(f) assess the accuracy of scientific information presented in mass media by comparison with similar
information presented in scientific journals
Outcome H14: assesses the validity of conclusions from gathered data and information
To ensure secondary sources are accurate, the information from the site or source must be both valid and
reliable.
Validity
To determine if the information you are gathering is valid, you must consider or evaluate the following:
Reliability
To determine if the information you are gathering is reliable, you must consider or evaluate the following:
the author of the articles credentials (i.e. the author is qualified in this area). For example, was the
author a teacher, a scientist in that field etc?
whether the purpose of the article is not resulting in bias
whether the site or publication is reputable, i.e. .gov.edu, biology textbook
whether the data was gathered using an appropriate method and measuring devices
whether it is current (check date)
This means that if your information is current, written by an expert in the area you are investigating,
without bias and is in a reputable publication, then your information could be considered reliable.
Accuracy
To determine if the information you are gathering is accurate, you must consider or evaluate the following:
whether the information can be substantiated in more than one reliable source. (i.e. is the information
consistent with information from other reputable sources?).
This means that if you can find similar information in at least two valid and reliable sources, then your
information could be considered accurate.
Validity
A valid experiment is a fair test. A method is valid if:
it investigates what you think it will investigate (i.e. the procedure actually tests the hypothesis and
the experiment includes an appropriate range of values).
it incorporates suitable equipment (e.g. measuring cylinder to measure volume rather than a
beaker)
variables are controlled
appropriate measuring procedures are included
Reliability
A reliable experiment has results which can be obtained consistently. To ensure that results are reliable:
the experiment must be repeated and consistent results obtained (within an acceptable margin of
error)
Note: Repetition will only determine reliability (it will NOT improve it).
A useful analogy is that of a friend arriving on time for appointments. If they arrive on time once, you cant
say they are reliable or not, but if they arrive late over and over again, then you can say they are unreliable.
Just because you make repeat observations of them arriving doesnt make them reliable.
The relationship between reliability and validity can be confusing. Measurements and other observations
can be reliable without being valid. A faulty measuring device can consistently provide a wrong value
therefore providing reliably incorrect results. However, measurements and observations cannot be valid
unless they are reliable and accurate. (Curriculum Support 2006 Vol. 11 No. 2)
they are close to the true value of the quantity being measured
they can be substantiated in secondary sources
Note: Accuracy is important by making the experiment as valid and reliable as possible.
In any experiment that involves measuring a variable that exhibits natural variation (particularly biological
variables or environmental factors), the accuracy of the results will be improved by repetition. In statistical
terms, the mean of the sample will more closely reflect the population mean. Similarly, investigations that
involve measuring the probability of an event occurring are also improved with repetition. For example,
one of the reasons why Gregor Mendel got such accurate results was because he tested large numbers of
plants. This is essentially the law of large numbers: the average of the results obtained from a large
number of trials should be close to the expected value, and will tend to become closer as more trials are
performed.
Summary Table
Reliability, Accuracy and Validity
A source or
investigation cannot
be valid if it is not
reliable
Example of HSC Question on Reliability: Biology HSC Paper 2010
Question 29
You have been asked to write a report on the responses of plants to temperature change.
Article 1 from Science News - a web based site reporting on current science
Plants are highly sensitive to changing temperatures and can coordinate an appropriate response for
variations as little as 1C, according to a new finding that can help explain how plants will respond to
climate change. Plants not only 'feel' the temperature rise, but also respond by activating hundreds of
genes and deactivating others. This offers new leads in the quest to create crop plants better able to
withstand high temperature stress.
Plants can sense, formulate reaction to temperature change. By IANS 11 January 2010
http://blog.taragana.com/science/20 I 0/0 1/11/plants-can-sense-formulatereaction-to-temperature-change-3207 /
We analysed the flowering times of a violet and a tree at similar latitudes in the UK and Poland over 26
years. Careful analysis showed that both species in both locations showed significant responses to
temperature variation although plants in the UK were more responsive than those in Poland. We conclude
that locally adapted species may differ in their projected flowering times under future climate warming.
Modified abstract from Tryjanowski P, Panek M, Sparks T (2006). Phenological response of plants to temperature varies at the
same latitude: case study of dog violet and horse chestnut in England and Poland. Climate Research, 32 (I): 89-93.
Increases in CO2 concentration affect how plants photosynthesise1. Increased CO2 can also lead to
increased carbon to nitrogen ratios in the leaves of plants, possibly changing herbivore nutrition2.
1. Steffen, W & Canadell, P (2005). 'Carbon Dioxide Fertilisation and Climate Change Policy.' 33 pp. Australian Greenhouse
Office, Department of Environment and Heritage: Canberra
2. Oleadow RM, et al (1998). Enhanced CO? alters the relationship between photosynthesis and defence in cyanogenic
Eucalyptus cladocalyx F Mueli. Plant Cell Environ. 21: 12-22.
Evaluate the relevance of the information to your report, and the reliability of each of the sources given.
5 Marks
Sample answer:
The first two articles are relevant because they show a relationship between temperature increase and
plant response. Article 3 has nothing to do with temperature change so is irrelevant.
Information for Article 1 has been sourced from a web blog that is not a reliable source.
Information for Article 2 has been obtained from a published scientific journal and can therefore be
regarded as reliable.
Information for Article 3 has been obtained from a user-modifiable web-based encyclopedia and as such
is not reliable even though there are references from a scientific journal as it is modifiable by numerous
individuals.
References:
Curriculum Support 2006 Vol. 11 No. 2