GRE Test Fairness and Validity

ETS and the GRE Program make ensuring the fairness and validity of GRE tests throughout the test development, administration and scoring processes a high priority. To ensure that these goals are reached, ETS has developed a meticulous system of internal checks and balances, and audit teams routinely verify that all tests and services meet rigorous professional standards.
 

Fairness

Fairness concerns are an integral part of the development and scoring of all tests. The many activities that ensure fairness include:

• fairness evaluations by trained reviewers
• routine analyses of test questions to establish that questions do not unfairly contribute to group differences
• rigorous training for all persons involved in the development or scoring of test questions to ensure that all test takers have an equal opportunity to demonstrate their skills and abilities
• appropriate accommodations (e.g., alternate test formats, extra time) for test takers who have disabilities or health-related needs

Validity

Validity research and analyses establish that the test measures what it is supposed to measure. The GRE Program has documented evidence of the following types of validity in GRE tests:

• construct validity (the test measures the skills/abilities that should be measured)
• content validity (the test measures appropriate content)
• predictive validity (the test predicts success)
• consequential validity (the test demonstrates that adverse consequences are minimal)
• external validity (the test has the expected relationship with other measures of the same construct)

Learn more about GRE General Test fairness and validity in the score user section of this website.