If a test is designed to compare scores to the performance of a peer group, it is described as:

• A. Ipsative
• B. Norm-referenced
• C. Criterion-referenced
• D. Diagnostic

Answer: (B)

Interpreting a score by comparing it to how others in a peer group performed uses norms to place a person within a larger distribution. This approach is norm-referenced. It asks not whether the person met an absolute standard, but how they rank relative to peers, often expressed as percentile ranks or standard scores. The normative sample should represent the relevant population so the standing makes sense for that group. This is different from ipsative approaches, which compare a person to their own past performance; criterion-referenced approaches, which judge whether a person has mastered specific skills or criteria; and diagnostic approaches, which focus on identifying specific strengths and weaknesses for intervention. For example, a percentile score tells you how the individual compares to peers, such as ranking higher or lower within the reference group.