Norm-Referenced Measurement

The number of test questions correctly answered can seldom be interpreted in an absolute sense. Norms – the distribution of scores of some well-defined group of examinees, such as a representative national sample of students – provide a meaningful context for interpreting test scores. Even criterion-referenced score interpretations, often thought to make no use of norms, are based on underlying normative judgments about what constitutes adequate performance. Batteries of standardized tests that are norm referenced can not only provide information on students' educational development but also estimate relative strengths and weaknesses in different content areas. Such comparisons are almost impossible without norms.