Recalculation of the Critical Values for Lawshe’s Content Validity Ratio

Abstract

The content validity ratio (Lawshe) is one of the earliest and most widely used methods for quantifying content validity. To correct and expand the table, critical values in unit steps and at multiple alpha levels were computed. Implications for content validation are discussed.

• measurement
• content validity
• content validity ratio
• table of critical values

Notes

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/orPUBLICation of this article.

The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/orPUBLICation of this article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

F. Robert Wilson

F. Robert Wilson, PhD, is an emeritus professor of counseling of the University of Cincinnati with 35 years as a counselor educator. He completed doctoral studies at Michigan State University and post-graduate studies at the Cincinnati Gestalt Institute. His research interests include quantitative methods in counseling research, counselor education and supervision, and individual and group treatment of mental illness. He provides mental health counseling for indigent and homeless individuals with chronic mental illness.

Wei Pan

Wei Pan, PhD, is an associate professor of quantitative research methodology at the University of Cincinnati. He received his doctorate in measurement and quantitative methods from Michigan State University in 2001 and his master’s degree in mathematical statistics from Fuzhou University, China, in 1989. His research interests include causal inference, advanced statistical modeling, meta-analysis, and their applications in the social, behavioral, and health sciences.

Donald A. Schumsky

Donald A. Schumsky, PhD, is an emeritus professor of psychology of the University of Cincinnati following a 45 year (42 at University of Cincinnati) career in teaching and research. His research interests include quantitative methods in psychological science, learning, motor skills, and cognition.