A standard for test reliability in group research
Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 21, 2026

A Protocol of Manual Tests to Measure Sensation and Pain in Humans
Published on: December 19, 2016
1School of Psychology and Artificial Intelligence, Radboud University Nijmegen, P.O. Box 9104, 6500 HE, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. j.ellis@psych.ru.nl
Abstract:
Many authors adhere to the rule that test reliabilities should be at least .70 or .80 in group research. This article introduces a new standard according to which reliabilities can be evaluated. This standard is based on the costs or time of the experiment and of administering the test. For example, if test administration costs are 7 % of the total experimental costs, the efficient value of the reliability is .93. If the actual reliability of a test is equal to this efficient reliability, the test size maximizes the statistical power of the experiment, given the costs. As a standard in experimental research, it is proposed that the reliability of the dependent variable be close to the efficient reliability. Adhering to this standard will enhance the statistical power and reduce the costs of experiments.
Related Concept Videos
Reliability and Validity
Test for Homogeneity
Group Design
Testing a Claim about Standard Deviation
The hypothesis testing for the claim of population standard deviation (or variance) requires the data and samples to be random and unbiased. The population distribution also must be normal. There is no specific requirement on the sample size as the estimation is based on the chi-square distribution.
As a first step, the hypothesis (null and alternative) concerning the claim about...
Comparing Experimental Results: Student's t-Test
Behrens–Fisher Test
This test is...
