Explain to your Teen what Reliability and Validity Means: Statistics

Son/Daughter, in statistics, for example in a research survey, Validity would be defined by the supporting components that make the survey measurably applicable for it's specific measurable purpose or use. If one survey could determine measured results by it's measured actions, it would be considered as a Valid tool to conduct a similar survey or future surveys. Whereas, in the same aspect, research survey, Reliability is defined by the recurrence of survey results, such as the measurable number of times the same exact survey was given to determine if the survey was a reliable source of information or answers. Overall, the difference between both within the aspect of Surveys is that validity is measured by applying it's purpose to measure it's pertinent factors and reliability measures the amount of continual times the survey was conducted to determine if the same solution occurs multiple times. Since, you've been asking me to buy you a car, here's a more "teenage like" statistical survey example:

Survey research on the rate of how many High School teenagers drive cars: (This is not an actual survey)

Son/Daughter,

Validity example: One high school conducted a survey to determine the amount of how many High School Students Drove cars. It measured that 70% of high school teenagers drove either their own car or their parents' car; where 30% walked, rode a bike, or took the Bus. Also, at the end of the survey it measured the distance of travel from school to home (amid the student population) and revealed that the 70% who drove cars lived more than 30 minutes away and that the 40% who walked, etc., etc., lived by the high school. Although this survey was a valid tool to use it was not a reliable source of information to go ahead and buy you a car.

But, in a Reliability example: 100 other schools conducted the same exact survey, each more than 5 times within the next six months, and produced similar results. 70% of high school teenagers in that school drove cars because of the 30 minute commute and the 40% who walked, etc., etc., lived near by. With that noted, the surveys were a reliable source of information to say, "Yes" I will by you a car, because we live 30 minutes away, and I'm tired of driving the opposite way to work and to add, being late.