CRITERION-REFERENCED TESTS AND NORM-REFERENCED TESTS

Many educators and members of the public fail to grasp the distinctions between criterion-referenced and norm-referenced testing. It is common to hear the two types of testing referred to as if they serve the same purposes, or shared the same characteristics. Much confusion can be eliminated if the basic differences are understood.

          There are two chief groups in which tests are categorized, criterion-referenced testing and norm-referenced testing.

          Criterion-referenced tests are tests that seek to determine whether an individual has mastered knowledge or skills which were taught in a section of a course to see if instruction was successful and to take remedial action. This type of tests also serve to determine if someone can be certified to begin work on a given profession. Introduced by Glaser (1962) and Popham and Husek (1969), these are also known as domain-referenced tests, competency tests, basic skills tests, (http:www.education.com/definition/basic-skills/?-module=)  mastery tests, performance tests or assessments, authentic assessments, standards-based tests, credentialing exams to determine persons qualified to receive a license or certificate, and more. What all these tests have in common is that they attempt to determine a candidate’s level of performance in relation to a well defined domain of content. Classroom teachers use them to monitor student performance in their day to day activities. These tests are useful for evaluating student performance and generating educational accountability information at the classroom, school, district, and state levels. The tests are based on the curricula, and the results provide basis for determining how much is being learned by students and how well the educational system is producing desired results. Criterion-referenced tests are also used in training programs to assess learning. Typically pretest-posttest designs with parallel forms of criterion-referenced tests are used.

          In contrast, norm-referenced tests seek to compare respondents with some other group. The interpretation of such tests consist of comparing the individual score with either the other respondents in the same administration or with all others who have ever taken the test. The tests determine a candidate’s level of the construct measured by a test in relation to a well- defined reference group of candidates, referred to as norm group.

                    The following is adapted from Popham, J.W. (1975). Educational evaluation. Englewood Cliffs, New jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc.

Dimension	Criterion-Referenced Tests	Norm-Referenced Tests
Purpose	To determine whether each student has achieved specific skills or concepts. To find out how much students know before instruction begins and after it has finished.	To rank each student with respect to the achievement of others in broad areas of knowledge. To discriminate between high and low achievers.
Content	Measures specific skills which make up a designated curriculum. These skills are identified by teachers and curriculum experts. Each skill is expressed as an instructional objective.	Measures broad skill areas sampled from a variety of textbooks, syllabi, and the judgments of curriculum experts.
Item Characteristics	Each skill is tested by at least four items in order to obtain an adequate sample of student performance and to minimize the effect of guessing. The items which test any given skill are parallel in difficulty	Each skill is usually tested by less than four items. Items vary in difficulty. Items are selected that discriminate between high and low achievers.
Score Interpretation	Each individual is compared with preset standard for acceptable achievement. The performance of other examinees is irrelevant. A student’s score is usually expressed as percentage. Student achievement is reported for individual skills.	Each individual is compared with other examinees and assigned a score-usually expressed as a percentile, a grade equivalent score, or a stanine. Student achievement is reported for broad skill areas, although some norm-referenced tests do report student achievement for individual skills.

References:

http://www.education.com/reference/article/criterion-referenced-tests

http://chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/col/measeval/crnmref.html

http://www.ehow/about_4569218_criterionreferenced-tests.html

http://www.brighthub.com/education/special/articles/72677.aspx

Reflection

          If I were to choose between criterion referenced testing and norm-referenced testing, I prefer the former. Why, because learners have different needs, level of understanding, and come from different backgrounds. So, why compare students to other students? Instead, compare this student to his own previous performance, if improvement has been made, that way he will strive to perform better and even best. Further, this will prevent the student from being discouraged.

          This can be likened to a parent who says “ Your cousin always gets better grades than you...” It’s unfair to be compared to someone else, isn’t it? Each individual is different. Well, just a thought…