Criterion validity

Criterion-related validity is a measure of how well one variable or set of variables predicts an outcome based on information from other variables. These variables are often represented as “intermediate” and “ultimate” criteria. For example, let us say we are conducting a study on success in college. If we find out there is a high correlation between student grades in high-school math classes and their success in college (which can be measured by many possible variables), we would say there is high criterion-related validity between the intermediate variable (grades in high-school math classes) and the ultimate variable (success in college). Essentially, the grades students received in high-school math can be used to predict their success in college.