External validity is best described as
A) a characteristic of an individual study.
B) a characteristic of a set of findings.
C) an all-or-nothing decision.
D) an issue that is relevant only to applied researchers.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

External validity refers to the extent to which the findings of a study can be generalized to other settings, populations, and time periods. It is not limited to a single study but rather concerns how broadly the results can be applied, making it a characteristic of a set of findings rather than an individual study, an all-or-nothing decision, or an issue relevant only to applied researchers.

External Validity Is Best Described as