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Norm-Referenced vs. Criterion-Referenced

Norm-Referenced Test: Definition

Criterion-Referenced Test: Definition

When to Use Norm-Referenced and Criterion-Referenced Tests

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Norm-Referenced vs. Criterion-Referenced

Psychological measurement is the process of using tools to evaluate one or more psychological trait or
variable. Psychological traits include personality traits and emotional function as well as cognition.
Cognition is a term that includes the processes of attention, learning, memory, language, perception,
and thought. Specific tests have been designed to measure individual aspects of cognition, personality
traits, and emotional function. These tests take a variety of forms.

Because of the number of assessments that exist to assist in psychological measurement, it is important
for practitioners to understand major test descriptors. Two key testing descriptors are ‘norm-
referenced’ and ‘criterion-referenced.’ These descriptors refer to the way in which the test is scored.

Norm-referenced: test results are compared to the results of a similar group of people and testers are
ranked in relation to other testers

Criterion-referenced: test results are compared to a set standard or criteria and testers are ranked in
relation to the body of tested knowledge

Practitioners should know the differences in testing and scoring for norm-referenced vs. criterion-
referenced tests when selecting and performing psychological testing.

Measurement

Ricki is an educational psychologist. She wants to do a study examining whether or not a certain
curriculum will help students learn math skills. In order to figure that out, she has to put together a
math test that the students will take after they’ve been exposed to the curriculum.

Psychological measurement is the process of evaluating psychological traits, including cognitive skills,
like math, and other traits, like depression or altruism.
Measurement is the cornerstone of psychological studies. Without measurement, there is no way to
gather data in a study. Without data, there is no way to know if your hypothesis is correct. For example,
Ricki might think that the curriculum will help students learn math, but unless she measures their math
skills, she won’t have the data to show whether it actually does help or not.

There are many tools used in psychological measurement. When looking at cognitive, or thinking, skills,
tests are usually used to measure outcomes. IQ tests are examples of psychological tests that measure
cognitive skills. So is Ricki’s math test.

Let’s look at two different ways of scoring tests: norm-referenced and criterion-referenced.

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Norm-Referenced Test: Definition

What is a norm-referenced test? A norm-referenced test is a type of standardized test (that is, a test
that is identical for every test-taker). After the items on a norm-referenced test are scored, the scores
are compared to those of a comparison group, or norming group. Because the test-taker is compared to
other people, the results can be considered subjective.

A norm-referenced test compares the performance of the tester to that of other testers with similar
characteristics or demographics.

A norm referenced test compares the tester to a group of similar testers.

To develop a norm-referenced test, the test developers select a statistically relevant group of individuals
and administer the test items. The scores of this norming group are used to create the scoring system
for that test. The composition of the norming group depends on the test, but factors considered usually
include age or grade level, and may also be narrowed down by other demographic information. In
addition, some tests are normed for more than one group. If so, a test administrator gives the test, then
chooses the correct scoring system based on the subject’s qualifications (i.e., the administrator uses a
different scoring chart for a seven-year-old than for a twelve-year-old).

The norm-referenced test definition indicates that the results are reported as a percentage or a
percentile ranking. The purpose of this number is to tell the test-taker what percentage of the norming
group scored above and below them. Many test developers use a bell curve to organize their data. This
means that they expect the largest percentage of test-takers to score in the middle range of the test,
with smaller numbers of test-takers performing below average and above average.

Norm-referenced assessments are often normed using a bell curve, because the majority of test-takers
are expected to fall in the middle scoring range.

Norm-referenced assessments are often normed using a bell curve.

Examples of Norm-Referenced Assessments

Norm-referenced assessments are used when the goal is to rank test-takers in relationship to their
peers. Another benefit in norm-referenced assessment is that it makes up for errors in test
development. Results are not compromised if a test is too easy or too hard, because testers are being
compared to others and not merely to the testing tool.

Examples of norm-referenced tests include:

Test Description

School readiness assessments

Assessments used to test academic readiness and academic skill level are often norm-referenced, such
as the Woodcock-Johnson Test of Achievement, the Peabody Individual Achievement Test, and the
Brigance Comprehensive Inventory of Basic Skills.

Learning disability screenings

Psychologists screening for learning disabilities often include IQ tests such as the Wechsler Intelligence
Scale for Children (WISC) and Stanford Binet Intelligence Scale, both of which are norm-referenced.

College entrance exams

The SAT, ACT, and others are norm-referenced tests used in college admissions. Program-specific
entrance exams such as the LSAT for law school can also be norm-referenced.

Mental health screenings

Numerous screening tools are available to practitioners and are selected based on the needs of the
individual being tested.

Baby growth percentile rankings

The growth charts used by pediatricians to assign a percentile ranking to a baby’s height, weight, and
head size are based on norm-referencing because they compare a child’s size to that of other children of
the same age.

Norm-referenced tests are usually only considered valid if they are administered by a properly trained
individual. The training required to administer a test is specific to that test.

Criterion-Referenced Test: Definition

A criterion-referenced test is an objective assessment that compares a test-taker’s performance to a set

of fixed standards or objectives. Some criterion-referenced tests are standardized, while others are not.
Criterion-referenced tests come in many formats and may be administered on a large-scale or small-
scale basis. What makes a test criterion-referenced is the scoring process. The reported score represents
the number of correct answers out of a total, rather than the test-taker’s performance in comparison to
others.

The differences between norm-referenced vs. criterion-referenced tests is that criterion-referenced

tests compare performance to a standard, similar to a checklist.

A comparison of norm-referenced vs. criterion-referenced tests shows that criterion-referenced tests

compare performance to a standard.

Norm-Referenced

Ricki wants to know if her curriculum will help students learn math skills, and she’s written a math test
for the students to take. But, how should she determine what passing means?

A norm-referenced test scores a test by comparing a person’s performance to others who are similar.
You can remember norm-referenced by thinking of the word ‘normal.’ The object of a norm-referenced
test is to compare a person’s performance to what is normal for other people like him or her.
Think of it kind of like a race. If a runner comes in third in a race, that doesn’t tell us anything objectively
about what the runner did. We don’t know if she finished in 30 seconds or 30 minutes; we only know
that she finished after two other runners and ahead of everyone else.

So, if Ricki decides to make her test norm-referenced, she would compare students to what is normal for
that age, grade, or class. Examples of norm-referenced tests include the SAT, IQ tests, and tests that are
graded on a curve. Anytime a test offers a percentile rank, it is a norm-referenced test. If you score at
the 80th percentile, that means that you scored better than 80% of people in your group.

Norm-referenced tests are a good way to compensate for any mistakes that might be made in designing
the measurement tool. For example, what if Ricki’s math test is too easy, and everybody aces it? If it is a
norm-referenced test, that’s OK because you’re not looking at the actual scores of the students but how
well they did in relation to students in the same age group, grade, or class.

Criterion-Referenced

But, norm-referenced tests aren’t perfect. They aren’t completely objective and make it hard to know
anything other than how someone did in comparison to others. But, what if we want to know about a
person’s performance without comparing them to others?

A criterion-referenced test is scored on an absolute scale with no comparisons made. It is interested in

one thing only: did you meet the standards?

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Video Transcript

Measurement

Ricki is an educational psychologist. She wants to do a study examining whether or not a certain
curriculum will help students learn math skills. In order to figure that out, she has to put together a
math test that the students will take after they’ve been exposed to the curriculum.

Psychological measurement is the process of evaluating psychological traits, including cognitive skills,
like math, and other traits, like depression or altruism.
Measurement is the cornerstone of psychological studies. Without measurement, there is no way to
gather data in a study. Without data, there is no way to know if your hypothesis is correct. For example,
Ricki might think that the curriculum will help students learn math, but unless she measures their math
skills, she won’t have the data to show whether it actually does help or not.

There are many tools used in psychological measurement. When looking at cognitive, or thinking, skills,
tests are usually used to measure outcomes. IQ tests are examples of psychological tests that measure
cognitive skills. So is Ricki’s math test.

Let’s look at two different ways of scoring tests: norm-referenced and criterion-referenced.

Norm-Referenced

Ricki wants to know if her curriculum will help students learn math skills, and she’s written a math test
for the students to take. But, how should she determine what passing means?

A norm-referenced test scores a test by comparing a person’s performance to others who are similar.
You can remember norm-referenced by thinking of the word ‘normal.’ The object of a norm-referenced
test is to compare a person’s performance to what is normal for other people like him or her.

Think of it kind of like a race. If a runner comes in third in a race, that doesn’t tell us anything objectively
about what the runner did. We don’t know if she finished in 30 seconds or 30 minutes; we only know
that she finished after two other runners and ahead of everyone else.

So, if Ricki decides to make her test norm-referenced, she would compare students to what is normal for
that age, grade, or class. Examples of norm-referenced tests include the SAT, IQ tests, and tests that are
graded on a curve. Anytime a test offers a percentile rank, it is a norm-referenced test. If you score at
the 80th percentile, that means that you scored better than 80% of people in your group.

Norm-referenced tests are a good way to compensate for any mistakes that might be made in designing
the measurement tool. For example, what if Ricki’s math test is too easy, and everybody aces it? If it is a
norm-referenced test, that’s OK because you’re not looking at the actual scores of the students but how
well they did in relation to students in the same age group, grade, or class.
Criterion-Referenced

But, norm-referenced tests aren’t perfect. They aren’t completely objective and make it hard to know
anything other than how someone did in comparison to others. But, what if we want to know about a
person’s performance without comparing them to others?

A criterion-referenced test is scored on an absolute scale with no comparisons made. It is interested in

one thing only: did you meet the standards?

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Create your account

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between norm-referenced and criterion-referenced?

The difference between norm-referenced and criterion-referenced tests is in the scoring. A norm-
referenced test compares the test-taker’s score to a representative group, or norming group, and
reports where the tester falls in relationship to other testers. The criterion-referenced test, on the other
hand, compares a tester’s score to an objective standard or criteria.

What is an example of a norm-referenced test?

Norm-referenced tests are standardized tests characterized by scoring that compares the performance
of the test-taker to a norming group (a group with similar characteristics such as age or grade level).
Examples of norm-referenced tests are the SAT and ACT and most IQ tests.

What is the purpose of norm-referenced tests?

The purpose of norm-referenced tests is to rank individuals in relation to others of a similar

representative group. Norm-referenced tests are used for many purposes such as college entrance (the
SAT and ACT) and IQ tests. A norm-referenced test assumes that the majority of test-takers will score in
the average range, with a few people testing above and below average. The test reflects an individual’s
performance compared to that of others.

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Norm-Referenced Test vs. Criterion Referenced Test | What is a Norm-Referenced Test?

Psychology 105: Research Methods in Psychology

16 chapters | 137 lessons | 12 flashcard sets

Ch 1. Introduction to Research Methods

Ch 2. Principles of Ethical Research

Ch 3. Setting Up the Research Study

Ch 4. Data Collection Techniques in…

Ch 5. Nonexperimental Research

Ch 6. Qualitative Research Methods and…

Ch 7. Quasi-Experimental Research

Ch 8. Sampling and Generalization

Ch 9. Measurement in Research

The Importance of Measurement in the Research Process 5:12

The Difference Between Qualitative & Quantitative Measurement 6:37

Conceptualization & Operationalization in Measurement 5:47

Continuous, Discrete & Categorical Variables: Definition and Examples 6:26

Scales of Measurement: Nominal, Ordinal, Interval & Ratio 7:13

Types of Tests: Norm-Referenced vs. Criterion-Referenced 5:35

6:01

Next Lesson

Types of Measurement: Direct, Indirect & Constructs

Types of Measurement: Direct, Indirect & Constructs

Commonly Used Research Measurement Scales 7:38

The Reliability of Measurement: Definition, Importance & Types 5:10

Methods for Improving Measurement Reliability 6:09

The Validity of Measurement: Definition, Importance & Types 6:57

The Relationship Between Reliability & Validity 5:54

Go to Measurement in Research

Ch 10. Internal Validity in Research

Ch 11. External Validity

Ch 12. Experimental Design

Ch 13. Descriptive Statistics in…

Ch 14. Inferential Statistics in…

Ch 15. Evaluating Research Findings

Ch 16. Studying for Psychology 105

Norm-Referenced Test vs. Criterion Referenced Test | What is a Norm-Referenced Test?

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