Knowledge

Criterion-referenced test

Source 📝

255:. This is because some questions are better at reflecting actual achievement of students, and some test questions are better at differentiating between the best students and the worst students. (Many questions will do both.) A criterion-referenced test will use questions which were correctly answered by students who know the specific material. A norm-referenced test will use questions which were correctly answered by the "best" students and not correctly answered by the "worst" students (e.g. Cambridge University's pre-entry 'S' paper). Some tests can provide useful information about both actual achievement and relative ranking. The 251:" A criterion-referenced test would report the student's performance strictly according to whether the individual student correctly answered these questions. A norm-referenced test would report primarily whether this student correctly answered more questions compared to other students in the group. Even when testing similar topics, a test which is designed to accurately assess mastery may use different questions than one which is intended to show relative 82:
The criterion-referenced interpretation of a test score identifies the relationship to the subject matter. In the case of a mastery test, this does mean identifying whether the examinee has "mastered" a specified level of the subject matter by comparing their score to the cutscore. However, not all
299:
and licensure testing where the test must be passed to work in a profession, such as to become a physician or attorney. However, being a high-stakes test is not specifically a feature of a criterion-referenced test. It is instead a feature of how an educational or government agency chooses to use
39:
that can be expected of a person with that score. Most tests and quizzes that are written by school teachers can be considered criterion-referenced tests. In this case, the objective is simply to see whether the student has learned the material. Criterion-referenced assessment can be contrasted
78:
is not the cutscore; the criterion is the domain of subject matter that the test is designed to assess. For example, the criterion may be "Students should be able to correctly add two single-digit numbers," and the cutscore may be that students should correctly answer a minimum of 80% of the
142:
World War II was caused by multiple factors, including the Great Depression and the general economic situation, the rise of nationalism, fascism, and imperialist expansionism, and unresolved resentments related to World War I. The war in Europe began with the German invasion of Poland.
186:
indicates whether the test-taker did better or worse than other people who took the test. For example, if the criterion is "Students should be able to correctly add two single-digit numbers," then reasonable test questions might look like
319:
are usually criterion-referenced tests, because their goal is to see whether the test taker is sufficiently familiar with the new country's history and government, not to see whether one test taker is more knowledgeable than another test
270:
test is similar to criterion-referenced test, it is an assessment that covers a specific area of study such that a score will reveal how much of this area has been mastered. Thus, if an individual got 90% of the items correct in a
312:
are criterion-referenced tests, because their goal is to see whether the test taker is skilled enough to be granted a driver's license, not to see whether one test taker is more skilled than another test
259:
provides both a ranking, and indication of what level is considered necessary to likely success in college. Some argue that the term "criterion-referenced test" is a misnomer, since it can refer to the
443:
by Dr Malcolm Venter. Cape Town, South Africa. "OBE advocates a criterion-based system, which means getting rid of the bell curve, phasing out grade point averages and comparative grading".
279:
test, this would be a high score indicative of his or her deep knowledge and understanding of the content covered in the test. These kinds of tests are contrasted with
264:
of the score as well as the test itself. In the previous example, the same score on the ACT can be interpreted in a norm-referenced or criterion-referenced manner.
249: 217: 436: 17: 94:
by some education agencies, as students are assessed with regard to standards that define what they "should" know, as defined by the state.
87:
is an example of this; there is no cutscore, it simply is an assessment of the student's knowledge of high-school level subject matter.
71: 455: 83:
criterion-referenced tests have a cutscore, and the score can simply refer to a person's standing on the subject domain. The
74:, where the examinee passes if their score exceeds the cutscore and fails if it does not (often called a mastery test). The 417: 555: 296: 295:, where the results of the test have important implications for the individual examinee. Examples of this include 283:
tests, in which scores indicate how well a test taker performed on the items relative to others who took the test.
635: 433: 645: 389: 570: 350: 316: 91: 41: 650: 32: 576: 97: 640: 340: 335: 222: 190: 183: 592:"Criterion-Referenced, Domain-Referenced and Norm-Referenced Measurement: A Parallax View" 90:
Because of this common misunderstanding, criterion-referenced tests have also been called
8: 345: 45: 472:
Glaser, R. (1963). "Instructional technology and the measurement of learning outcomes".
402: 611: 529: 452: 603: 533: 360: 330: 547: 133:
This answer is worse than Student #2's answer, but better than Student #3's answer.
521: 481: 398: 292: 459: 440: 421: 384: 462:: "The Education Standards Movement Spells Trouble for Private and Home Schools" 380: 98:
Comparison of criterion-referenced, domain-referenced and norm-referenced tests
525: 415: 629: 607: 355: 179: 52: 512:
Haertel, E. (1985). "Construct validity and criterion-referenced testing".
309: 104: 615: 591: 256: 84: 485: 300:
the results of the test. It is moreover an individual type of test.
158:
World War II was caused by the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand.
36: 149:
This answer is better than Student #1's and Student #3's answers.
252: 164:
This answer is worse than Student #1's and Student #2's answers.
127:
World War II was caused by Hitler and Germany invading Poland.
66:
A common misunderstanding regarding the term is the meaning of
70:. Many, if not most, criterion-referenced tests involve a 291:
Many high-profile criterion-referenced tests are also
286: 225: 193: 103:
Sample scoring for the history question: What caused
434:
Assessing the Assessment of Outcomes Based Education
243: 211: 51:Criterion-referenced testing was a major focus of 627: 379: 58: 35:scores to generate a statement about the 511: 182:. Unlike a criterion-reference test, a 14: 628: 589: 502:(3rd ed.). New York: Harper & Row. 471: 500:Essentials of psychological testing 403:10.1146/annurev.ps.32.020181.003213 387:(1981). "Test Theory and Methods". 297:high school graduation examinations 287:Relationship to high-stakes testing 24: 556:American Psychological Association 25: 662: 115:Criterion-referenced assessment 18:Criterion-referenced assessment 583: 540: 514:Review of Educational Research 505: 492: 465: 446: 427: 409: 373: 13: 1: 366: 31:is a style of test that uses 552:APA Dictionary of Psychology 7: 590:Denham, Carolyn H. (1975). 390:Annual Review of Psychology 324: 303: 118:Norm-referenced assessment 92:standards-based assessments 10: 667: 351:Norm-referenced assessment 178:were originally coined by 42:norm-referenced assessment 526:10.3102/00346543055001023 29:criterion-referenced test 548:"Domain-referenced test" 498:Cronbach, L. J. (1970). 146:This answer is correct. 130:This answer is correct. 55:research in the 1970s. 636:Educational psychology 596:Educational Technology 341:Educational assessment 336:Constructive alignment 245: 213: 161:This answer is wrong. 474:American Psychologist 424:QuestionMark Glossary 246: 244:{\displaystyle 9+5=?} 214: 212:{\displaystyle 2+3=?} 575:: CS1 maint: year ( 277:criterion-referenced 223: 191: 184:norm-referenced test 172:criterion-referenced 346:Ipsative assessment 108: 79:questions to pass. 46:ipsative assessment 646:Standardized tests 554:. Washington, DC: 458:2006-09-06 at the 439:2006-08-29 at the 420:2008-10-08 at the 241: 209: 102: 571:cite encyclopedia 361:Standardized test 331:Concept inventory 317:Citizenship tests 293:high-stakes tests 273:domain-referenced 268:Domain-referenced 168: 167: 16:(Redirected from 658: 651:Education reform 620: 619: 587: 581: 580: 574: 566: 564: 563: 544: 538: 537: 509: 503: 496: 490: 489: 486:10.1037/h0049294 469: 463: 453:Homeschool World 450: 444: 431: 425: 413: 407: 406: 377: 250: 248: 247: 242: 218: 216: 215: 210: 112:Student answers 109: 101: 21: 666: 665: 661: 660: 659: 657: 656: 655: 626: 625: 624: 623: 588: 584: 568: 567: 561: 559: 546: 545: 541: 510: 506: 497: 493: 470: 466: 460:Wayback Machine 451: 447: 441:Wayback Machine 432: 428: 422:Wayback Machine 414: 410: 378: 374: 369: 327: 306: 289: 281:norm-referenced 224: 221: 220: 192: 189: 188: 176:norm-referenced 157: 141: 126: 100: 64: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 664: 654: 653: 648: 643: 638: 622: 621: 582: 539: 504: 491: 480:(8): 519–522. 464: 445: 426: 408: 371: 370: 368: 365: 364: 363: 358: 353: 348: 343: 338: 333: 326: 323: 322: 321: 314: 305: 302: 288: 285: 262:interpretation 240: 237: 234: 231: 228: 208: 205: 202: 199: 196: 166: 165: 162: 159: 151: 150: 147: 144: 135: 134: 131: 128: 120: 119: 116: 113: 99: 96: 63: 59:Definition of 57: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 663: 652: 649: 647: 644: 642: 641:Psychometrics 639: 637: 634: 633: 631: 617: 613: 609: 605: 601: 597: 593: 586: 578: 572: 557: 553: 549: 543: 535: 531: 527: 523: 519: 515: 508: 501: 495: 487: 483: 479: 475: 468: 461: 457: 454: 449: 442: 438: 435: 430: 423: 419: 416: 412: 404: 400: 396: 392: 391: 386: 385:Davison, M.L. 382: 376: 372: 362: 359: 357: 356:Psychometrics 354: 352: 349: 347: 344: 342: 339: 337: 334: 332: 329: 328: 318: 315: 311: 310:Driving tests 308: 307: 301: 298: 294: 284: 282: 278: 274: 269: 265: 263: 258: 254: 238: 235: 232: 229: 226: 206: 203: 200: 197: 194: 185: 181: 180:Robert Glaser 177: 173: 163: 160: 156: 153: 152: 148: 145: 140: 137: 136: 132: 129: 125: 122: 121: 117: 114: 111: 110: 106: 95: 93: 88: 86: 80: 77: 73: 69: 62: 56: 54: 49: 47: 43: 38: 34: 30: 19: 602:(12): 9–13. 599: 595: 585: 560:. Retrieved 551: 542: 520:(1): 23–46. 517: 513: 507: 499: 494: 477: 473: 467: 448: 429: 411: 394: 388: 375: 290: 280: 276: 272: 267: 266: 261: 175: 171: 169: 154: 138: 123: 105:World War II 89: 81: 75: 67: 65: 60: 53:psychometric 50: 28: 26: 381:Weiss, D.J. 170:Both terms 155:Student #3: 139:Student #2: 124:Student #1: 630:Categories 562:2021-02-19 367:References 608:0013-1962 534:145124784 76:criterion 68:criterion 61:criterion 616:44418878 456:Archived 437:Archived 418:Archived 325:See also 304:Examples 72:cutscore 37:behavior 253:ranking 614:  606:  532:  320:taker. 313:taker. 219:" or " 612:JSTOR 558:. n.d 530:S2CID 397:: 1. 40:with 604:ISSN 577:link 174:and 44:and 33:test 522:doi 482:doi 399:doi 275:or 257:ACT 85:ACT 632:: 610:. 600:15 598:. 594:. 573:}} 569:{{ 550:. 528:. 518:55 516:. 478:18 476:. 395:32 393:. 383:; 107:? 48:. 27:A 618:. 579:) 565:. 536:. 524:: 488:. 484:: 405:. 401:: 239:? 236:= 233:5 230:+ 227:9 207:? 204:= 201:3 198:+ 195:2 187:" 20:)

Index

Criterion-referenced assessment
test
behavior
norm-referenced assessment
ipsative assessment
psychometric
cutscore
ACT
standards-based assessments
World War II
Robert Glaser
norm-referenced test
ranking
ACT
high-stakes tests
high school graduation examinations
Driving tests
Citizenship tests
Concept inventory
Constructive alignment
Educational assessment
Ipsative assessment
Norm-referenced assessment
Psychometrics
Standardized test
Weiss, D.J.
Davison, M.L.
Annual Review of Psychology
doi
10.1146/annurev.ps.32.020181.003213

Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.