Assessment
Assessment is the systematic process of judging or measuring the quality, value, performance, or condition of something against evidence or criteria.
Evaluation: The process of determining the merit, worth, or significance of something. Assessment uses evaluation to reach an overall judgment of quality or value.
Educational assessment: The collection and interpretation of evidence about learners, teaching, or educational programs. It applies assessment to learning and instruction.
Criterion: A standard or principle used to judge or decide something. Criteria specify the standards against which assessed evidence is judged.
Testing: A procedure that elicits responses or performance under specified conditions. A test can provide assessment evidence, but assessment also includes interpreting and using it.
Measurement: The assignment of numbers or categories to attributes according to defined rules. Measurement supplies quantified observations that an assessment can interpret.
Performance appraisal: A workplace process for evaluating an employee's job performance. It applies assessment to employees' work and development.
Evidence: Information that supports or challenges a claim, interpretation, or decision. Assessment depends on evidence rather than judgment alone.
Audit: An independent examination of records, processes, or controls against requirements. Audits check compliance or accuracy, while assessment can judge broader quality and value.
Rubric: A scoring guide that describes criteria and levels of performance. Rubrics make assessment criteria explicit and support consistent judgments.
Program evaluation: The systematic study of a program's design, implementation, or outcomes. It assesses whether an organized intervention is functioning or achieving its aims.