Norm Referenced Test v. Criterion Referenced Tests

Norm-Referenced v. Criterion-Referenced Tests
Curriculum Evaluation Class
Assignment # 2 (July 2, 2009)
By: Peris Oribabor

In school system, students are constantly being tested. Those tests can be categorized into two major groups namely, the Norm Referenced (NRT), and Criterion- Referenced (CRT). The two tests differ in their intended purposes because of the way in which the content is selected and the scoring process is interpreted.

Norm Referenced Test: It is used to classify students by ranking them across a continuum of achievement from high to low achievers (Stiggins, 1994). The school systems use this classification to place students in remedial or gifted programs. Teachers can also use the NRT results to group students by ability l instructional groups.The content of Norm Referenced Tests is selected according to how well it ranks students from high achievers to low. NRT is also appropriate to use when comparing a large number of students or important decisions regarding student placement is needed. Its measures are designed to compare students (disperse average student scores along a Bell Curve, with some students performing very well, most average and a few performing poorly). Example of NRT is SAT.


The Criterion -Referenced test: It measures specific skills students have learned from a segment of instruction. It also measures students’ mastery of the desired curriculum for a specific grade level. The Criterion Referenced classrooms are mastery-oriented, informing all students of the expected standards and teaching them to succeed on related outcome measures. For example, an Algebra 1 CRT would include questions based on what was taught in an Algebra 1 class or standard content that fall within that particular grade level curriculum standards. It would not include geometry or other advanced level Algebra skills which were never taught or not part of that grade level curriculum. The “Bell Curve” in this case is skewed heavily to the right, as all students are expected to succeed. CRT assessment helps to eliminate competition and may improve collaboration among students. CRT results are used in making decisions about job entry, certification or licensure.

A. Strengths of Norm and Criterion Referenced Tests
Norm Referenced
1.Compares students performances against similar groups across the nation
2.Proven track record of reliability and dependable rank order of achievers from highest to lowest
3.Broad Coverage of academic standards
4.Easy to administer


Criterion Referenced
1.Compares student performances against the specific curriculum standards
2.Allows pre and post assessment to inform instruction
3.Identifies specific strengths and weaknesses to a specific curriculum
4.Easy to administer

B. Weakness of Norm and criterion Referenced Tests


Norm Referenced Test
1.Test results has limited use to a classroom teacher
2.Relies on national norms and (often) scoring that has been flawed
3.Expensive and time consuming
4.Opportunity to learn may not exist

Criterion Referenced Test
1. Assumes local standards are what students need to know
2. Test scores indicates mastery level
3.Writing samples and practical demonstrations are often expensive and questionable to be relied upon
4.Teachers may teach to the test

Making the Link between the Test Scores and decision Making

Norm Referenced Test
1. Helps school administration and policy makers to compare local performances against a national norm
2. Serves as abroad measure of competitiveness

Criterion Referenced Tests
1.Help Teachers and principals to design school improvement plans
2.Help policy makers be aware of how the students are doing as measured by local and state standards
3. Help policy makers deploy resources effectively

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