4.5 Establishing norms

4.5 Establishing norms

Norms

• are the test performance data of a particular group of test-takers that are used as a reference when evaluating or interpreting individual test score

Normative sample

• reference group

• is the group of people whose performance on a particular test is analyzed for reference in evaluating the performance of individual test-takers.

Norming a tets is

• expensive, sometimes test manuals only provide a series of descriptive statistics based on the group of test-takers that initially took the test (convenience sample, i.e., what was available)

To establish norms → the reference population must be

• carefully defined & clearly described.

To establish norms → The reference sample must be

• a good representation of the target population

The validity of the norm-referenced interpretations depends on 

• the appropriateness of the reference group in which the norms were developed.

More than one reference population might be necessary for the same test

• females & males

• age groups

• rural and urban

• different regions of the world

Test revision

• tests & documents should be reviewed periodically to determine whether revisions are needed

Revisions are usually done when

• significant changes in the domain (psychological construct) occur, or if we have evidence to suggest that the test use and interpretation is no longer optimal or appropriate.