Which term describes the extent to which data collection methods produce stable results when repeated under similar conditions?

• A. Validity
• B. Reliability
• C. Representativeness
• D. Precision

Answer: (B)

Reliability is about consistency. If you repeat data collection under similar conditions and the results stay essentially the same, the method is reliable. This repeatability shows the process isn’t producing random variation. For example, using a thermometer and taking several readings in the same room should yield very similar temperatures; big differences would signal poor reliability.

Validity is about whether you’re actually measuring what you intend to measure, not about repeatability. Representativeness asks whether the sample reflects the larger population. Precision describes how close repeated measurements are to each other, which relates to reliability but the key idea here is the stability of results across repeats.