The Development of Validity and Validation in Language Testing

Abstract

Validity and validation have been key issues in language testing. During the past seven decades, researchers have aired different views on validity whose development, can be divided into four stages, namely, the stage of criterion-based approach, the stage of tripartite approach, the stage of unified approach and the stage of argument-based approach. In order to have an informed knowledge of validity theory, this article briefly traces the history of research on validity concepts and the corresponding frameworks of validation. By examining the development of validity and validation, some possible topics for future research are uncovered.