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A Test Can Have Multiple Reliabilities

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  • Jules L. Ellis

    (Radboud University Nijmegen)

Abstract

It is argued that the generalizability theory interpretation of coefficient alpha is important. In this interpretation, alpha is a slightly biased but consistent estimate for the coefficient of generalizability in a subjects x items design where both subjects and items are randomly sampled. This interpretation is based on the “domain sampling” true scores. It is argued that these true scores have a more solid empirical basis than the true scores of Lord and Novick (1968), which are based on “stochastic subjects” (Holland, 1990), while only a single observation is available for each within-subject distribution. Therefore, the generalizability interpretation of coefficient alpha is to be preferred, unless the true scores can be defined by a latent variable model that has undisputed empirical validity for the test and that is sufficiently restrictive to entail a consistent estimate of the reliability—as, for example, McDonald’s omega. If this model implies that the items are essentially tau-equivalent, both the generalizability and the reliability interpretation of alpha can be defensible.

Suggested Citation

  • Jules L. Ellis, 2021. "A Test Can Have Multiple Reliabilities," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 86(4), pages 869-876, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:psycho:v:86:y:2021:i:4:d:10.1007_s11336-021-09800-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s11336-021-09800-2
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lee Cronbach, 1951. "Coefficient alpha and the internal structure of tests," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 16(3), pages 297-334, September.
    2. Paul Holland, 1990. "On the sampling theory roundations of item response theory models," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 55(4), pages 577-601, December.
    3. Peter Bentler, 2009. "Alpha, Dimension-Free, and Model-Based Internal Consistency Reliability," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 74(1), pages 137-143, March.
    4. Louis Guttman, 1945. "A basis for analyzing test-retest reliability," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 10(4), pages 255-282, December.
    5. Klaas Sijtsma, 2009. "On the Use, the Misuse, and the Very Limited Usefulness of Cronbach’s Alpha," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 74(1), pages 107-120, March.
    6. Jules Ellis & Brian Junker, 1997. "Tail-measurability in monotone latent variable models," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 62(4), pages 495-523, December.
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    2. Klaas Sijtsma & Julius M. Pfadt, 2021. "Rejoinder: The Future of Reliability," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 86(4), pages 887-892, December.

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