Norm-referenced test

A test that interprets an individual’s performance by comparing it with the scores of a reference group. Results indicate relative standing, not whether a fixed standard has been met.

Norm group: A sample whose test scores provide the reference distribution for interpreting other individuals’ results. Its scores define the comparison population behind a norm-referenced interpretation.
Criterion-referenced test: A test that interprets performance against defined knowledge or skill criteria rather than other test-takers. It answers whether a standard was met, unlike comparison with a norm group.
IQ test: A standardized assessment designed to estimate aspects of cognitive ability, often reported as a norm-referenced score. Its scores commonly express cognitive performance relative to an age-based norm group.
Test fairness: The extent to which a test and its uses provide equitable measurement and avoid unjustified disadvantage. A norm group that poorly represents the tested population can distort comparisons.
Percentile rank: A score indicating the percentage of a reference group that scored at or below a given result. It expresses an individual’s position within the norm group.
Ipsative assessment: An assessment that compares a person’s scores across traits or with their own earlier performance. Its reference is within the individual, not a population of test-takers.
Educational assessment: The systematic collection and interpretation of evidence about students’ learning and educational needs. Norm-referenced tests are one tool within the broader practice of evaluating learning.
Measurement invariance: The condition in which a measurement model assesses the same construct comparably across groups. Without comparable measurement, score differences may not represent differences in the intended ability.
Standard score: A transformed test score expressed on a scale with defined statistical properties, often a mean and standard deviation. It places results on a common scale relative to the norm group.
Mastery learning: An instructional approach in which learners progress after demonstrating mastery of specified objectives. Its emphasis on reaching objectives differs from ranking performance against peers.

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