You may usually hear the term normative group, or norm group, in discussions of tests and measures.
The people creating the test also need to identify what is considered normal within that group.
The SAT is taken by high school juniors and seniors throughout the United States each year.
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How Norm-Referenced Tests Are Assessed
Norm-referenced tests are assessed differently compared to criterion-referenced tests.
By contrast, it’s not possible to “pass” or “fail” a norm-referenced test.
Rather, it will give results based on performance compared to a normative group.
One of the main types of norm-referenced tests is an Intelligence Quotient or IQ test.
This means approximately 68% of people who take the WAIS-IV test will score somewhere between 85 and 115.
Percentiles as an Expression of Performance
Norm-referenced tests can also be presented as a percentile.
The percentiles are based on a bell curve with the “norm” falling in the middle.
The percentile range is demarcated as deviations (either above or below) from the norm.
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