On the Far Reaching Effects of Using Biased Estimates of Score Reliability: An Examination of the Problem in 20 Data Analyses

Abstract

Violation of either of two basic assumptions in classical test theory may lead to biased estimates of reliability. Violation of the assumption of essential tau-equivalence may produce underestimates, and the presence of correlated errors among measurement units may result in overestimates. The ubiquity of circumstances in which this problem may occur is not fully comprehended by many workers. This article surveys a variety of settings in which biased reliability estimates may be found in an effort to increase awareness of the prevalence of the problem.