Which type of student assessment measures the accomplishment of one student against that of another?

• A. Norm-referenced
• B. Median-referenced
• C. Criterion-referenced
• D. Traditional-referenced

Answer: (A)

Norm-referenced assessment is designed to evaluate a student's performance in relation to the performance of other students. This approach allows educators to determine how an individual learner compares to a norm group, which typically consists of a representative sample of students.

In norm-referenced assessments, scores are often distributed along a bell curve, allowing for differentiation among students based on their relative performance. This type of assessment helps identify students who are performing above or below average within a population, rather than measuring against a defined standard or criterion.

This method is widely used in educational settings where ranking or placement decisions are necessary, such as standardized testing, where the goal is to see how a student performs in comparison to their peers, guiding decisions on further educational opportunities or interventions for those who may need additional support.

Other assessment types, like criterion-referenced assessments, focus on whether a student meets established benchmarks or standards, regardless of how others perform, which is the main distinction from norm-referenced assessments.