The degree to which a test measures what it was designed to measure is known as:

Validity refers to the extent to which a test actually measures what it is intended to measure. In the context of assessments, such as those used in fire protection training, validity ensures that the outcomes reflect the skills, knowledge, or competencies that the test is intended to evaluate. For example, if an assessment is designed to measure the knowledge of fire safety protocols, it should effectively assess that knowledge rather than unrelated factors.

Reliability, on the other hand, refers to the consistency of the test results over time. A test may be reliable but not valid; if it consistently produces the same results regardless of any actual change in a person’s knowledge or skills, that does not mean it is measuring what it is supposed to.

Consistency refers to the uniformity of a test’s construction or the stability of its results, which is closely related to reliability.

Accuracy typically refers to the closeness of a measurement to the true value but does not fully encompass the concept of measuring the intended construct, which is the core of validity.

Therefore, validity is the appropriate term when discussing the degree to which a test measures the specific content it was designed to assess.