What is
Norm-Referenced Assessment
Norm-referenced assessment is a type of standardized test that compares students’ performances to one another. Norm-referenced assessments compare a student’s performance to the course median. The “norming process” refers to calculating norm-referenced scores and the “norming group” refers to the group that a student is compared against while a professor assigns grades.
What is the value of a norm referenced assessment?
Norm-referenced assessments in higher education provide a critical benchmark for evaluating student performance relative to a defined peer group. These assessments help educators identify how individual students or cohorts perform compared to others, which can be valuable for admissions decisions, curriculum design, and identifying areas for targeted interventions. A notable statistic underscores their importance: a 2020 study found that over 70 percent of colleges and universities in the United States use norm-referenced standardized tests, such as the SAT or ACT, as part of their admissions process to ensure consistent evaluation criteria across diverse applicant pools (National Center for Education Statistics, 2020). By offering a standardized metric, norm-referenced assessments facilitate a fairer and more equitable evaluation process while providing insights into the relative preparedness of students entering higher education.
What is the difference between a norm-referenced assessment and a criterion-referenced test?
While similar, a norm-referenced assessment and a criterion-referenced test have different goals. A norm-referenced assessment is designed to compare a student’s performance to that of a peer group (known as the “norm group”). Students are ranked on a continuum, showing where they stand relative to their classmates. Results are usually reported as percentiles, standardized scores or z-scores. An example is an SAT or ACT score where final grades reflect how students performed compared to a representative group of test-takers. On the other hand, a criterion-referenced test evaluates a student’s performance against a specific set of learning objectives or criteria. This test helps determine whether a student has achieved mastery of particular skills or knowledge. Results are reported as raw scores or levels of proficiency. An example of a criterion-referenced test is licensing exams or placement tests that gauge whether students meet minimum competency requirements.
What are norm-referenced assessment examples?
Norm-referenced assessment refers to an assessment that ranks students on a “bell curve” to determine the highest and lowest performing students. This method is used to understand how students’ scores compare to a predefined population with similar experience. The most common norm-referenced test examples are below.
- Standardized admissions tests including the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) and the American College Testing (ACT).
- Graduate Admissions Exams including the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and the Law School Admission Test (LSAT).
- Professional Certification Exams including the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) and the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE).
- Placement and Language Proficiency Tests including the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and International English Language Testing System (IELTS).