Rating reliability and representation validity in scenic landscape assessments

The US Supreme Court recently determined that experts from all fields of knowledge must demonstrate the reliability and validity of their testimony While the broader implications of their finding have yet to manifest itself, it clearly has the potential to challenge all manner of professional practices. This paper explores the reliability of visual quality ratings of landscapes, and the validity of photographic representations used when making these ratings. A review of the literature finds that relatively few studies report reliability or validity coefficients. Those including such reports give reason for some concern. Data from several studies are re-analyzed to demonstrate how professionals should evaluate the reliability and validity of their visual landscape assessments. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.