How are norm-referenced tests constructed?

Norm-referenced tests are designed specifically to compare an individual student's performance to that of a group, known as the norm group. This comparison allows educators to determine how a student performs relative to their peers, usually within the same grade level or age range. Essentially, these tests rank students and provide information about how one student stands in relation to others, helping to identify outliers and inform decisions about instruction and support needed for different students.

The construction of these tests takes into account the distribution of scores from a representative sample of the population. This enables the establishment of norms or standards based on the performance of this norm group. Such tests can facilitate understanding of relative strengths and weaknesses in particular areas of knowledge or skill.

While the other answer choices touch on important aspects of assessment, they do not accurately reflect the fundamental aim of norm-referenced tests. For example, tests intended to measure performance against fixed standards focus on established benchmarks rather than peer comparison. Evaluating learning achievements over multiple years relates more closely to longitudinal assessments, and assessing students with different abilities on the same scale pertains more to criterion-referenced tests where different skill levels are considered.