Another commonly accepted principle is that validity does not apply to tests at all. Instead, it applies only to the inferences we want to make from the test results. So, one should never say “this test is valid.” Rather, one should say “these inferences are valid.” For example, if a student scores high on a reading test, it does not validate the reading test. However, it may be valid to infer that a student who has a high score on the reading test has a high degree of reading ability.
The most important thing about validation is the purpose or the intended interpretation. Validity begins with an explicit, clear statement about the intended interpretation or inferences to be made.