This presentation will help you understand norm and criterion-referenced testing and differentiate between them.

1. Trainer: Mr. Ayad Chraa presented by: Said
Baalla
Training year 2020-2021
Centre Régional des Métiers
de l’Education et de la Formation-
CRMEF, Inzeguan, Morocco
Department of English
Module: Testing and Assessment

3.  How well the learner is performing relative to the group. In this case, the group of
slow learners would be assessed according to different, easier, norms than group of
faster ones (Ur,1996).
 Each test taker’s score is interpreted in relation to a mean, median, SD, and/ or
percentile ranks (Brown, 2004).

4.  The purpose is to place test takers a long mathematical continuum in a rank order
(Brown, 2004).
 Scores are usually reported to the test taker in the form of numerical score (e.g.
230 out of 300) and percentile rank (such 84 %, which means that the test taker’s
score was higher than 84 % of the total number of test takers.

5.  Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT)
 Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)

6.  Norm-referenced is used in standardized, large scale testing.

8.  How well the learner is performing relative to a fixed criterion. It is based on an
estimation of what it is reasonable or desirable to demand from learners at a
relevant point in their development (age, career, stage of a course) (Ur, 1996)

9.  Designed to give test takers feedback, usually in the form of grades, on specific
course or lesson objectives (Brown, 2004).
 In a criterion-referenced test, the distribution of students' scores across a
continuum may be of little concern as lo ng as the instrument assesses
appropriate objectives (Brown, 2004).

10.  Classroom tests involving the students in only one class, and connected to a
curriculum, are typical of criterion-referenced testing (Brown, 2004).
 Much time and effort on the part of the teacher (test administrator) are sometimes
required in order to deliver useful, appropriate feedback to students or what Oller
( 1979. p. 52, as cited in Brown, 2004) called “instructional value”.

11.  Generally, criterion-referenced testing is used in classroom-based assessment.

12. Criterion- referenced Norm-referenced
Compare a person’s knowledge or skills
against a predetermined standard, learning
goal, performance level, or other criterion.
Norm-referenced measures compare a
person’s knowledge or skills to the knowledge
or skills of the norm group.
An individual’s score is not affected by the
performance of other students.
An individual student’s percentile rank
describes their performance in comparison to
the performance of students in the norm
group
Examples: progress and achievement tests
like Monthly tests, quizzes, end of semester
tests.
Examples: aptitude, proficiency, and
placement tests such as TOFEL, SAT, and
GRE (Graduate Record Examination)
(Renissance, 2018)

13.  Brown, H. D. (2003). Language Assessment: Principles and Classroom Practices.
Pearson ESL.
 Ur, P. (1996). A Course in Language Teaching: Practice of Theory. Cambridge
Teacher Training and Development
 What’s the difference? Criterion-referenced tests vs. norm-referenced tests |
Renaissance. (2018, October 18). Renaissance.
https://www.renaissance.com/2018/07/11/blog-criterion-referenced-tests-norm-
referenced-tests/