What does high internal consistency of a norm-referenced test indicate?

• A. The items within a subtest measure the same variable.
• B. The test has high face validity.
• C. The test is highly sensitive to cultural differences.
• D. The test is short in length.

Answer: (A)

Internal consistency evaluates whether all items on a test are measuring the same construct. When it is high, the items within a subtest tend to correlate strongly, meaning they all tap the same attribute rather than several different skills. This is what reliability statistics like Cronbach’s alpha capture. So, high internal consistency indicates the items within a subtest measure the same variable. Other options refer to appearance of validity, fairness across cultures, or test length, which don’t describe how well the items hang together to measure one construct.