Which concept indicates how likely research results are to be replicated if a study is reproduced?

Which concept indicates how likely research results are to be replicated if a study is reproduced?

• A. Reliability
• B. Validity
• C. Random sample
• D. Field Research

Answer: (A)

Reliability means the results stay the same when a study is repeated using the same methods and instruments. If a study is redone and yields similar findings, the measurement tools and procedures are consistent, showing low random error and stable measurements. This consistency across repetitions is what researchers rely on to trust that the results aren’t just a one-off fluke. Validity, in contrast, is about whether the study actually measures what it intends to measure, not whether its results can be reproduced. A random sample speaks to how well the sample represents the broader population, not to the likelihood of replicating results. Field research describes where data are collected (in natural settings) rather than a property of the results’ reproducibility.

Reliability means the results stay the same when a study is repeated using the same methods and instruments. If a study is redone and yields similar findings, the measurement tools and procedures are consistent, showing low random error and stable measurements. This consistency across repetitions is what researchers rely on to trust that the results aren’t just a one-off fluke.

Validity, in contrast, is about whether the study actually measures what it intends to measure, not whether its results can be reproduced. A random sample speaks to how well the sample represents the broader population, not to the likelihood of replicating results. Field research describes where data are collected (in natural settings) rather than a property of the results’ reproducibility.