What does validity in research refer to?

Validity in research refers to the accuracy of concepts and measurements. It is a critical concept that ensures a study truly measures what it intends to measure. For instance, if a researcher is studying the impact of education on income, validity ensures that the measures of both education (such as years of schooling or degrees obtained) and income (such as annual earnings) accurately reflect what they are supposed to represent. High validity means that researchers can have confidence that the results and conclusions drawn from their study genuinely reflect the reality of the concepts under investigation.

In contrast, other related concepts, while important, do not define validity. The repeatability of findings refers to reliability, which is different because it focuses on whether the same results can be obtained under similar conditions. The scope of the research relates to the extent and boundaries of the study, indicating what is being studied and what is not, while depth of analysis pertains to the comprehensiveness and thoroughness in examining the subject matter. These aspects do contribute to the overall quality of research but do not specifically address the core idea of validity.