Which statement accurately contrasts norm-referenced and criterion-referenced assessments?

• A. Norm-referenced compares a student to a normative group
• B. Criterion-referenced measures performance against defined criteria or standards
• C. Norm-referenced compares a student to a normative group; criterion-referenced measures performance against defined criteria or standards
• D. Both measure performance against defined criteria

Answer: (C)

Understanding how norm-referenced and criterion-referenced assessments work helps you see why this statement best contrasts the two. A norm-referenced assessment measures a student’s performance relative to a normative group, producing rankings or percentile comparisons that show how someone does compared to peers. In contrast, a criterion-referenced assessment evaluates whether a student has achieved specific, predefined standards or objectives, giving an indication of mastery regardless of how others perform. Therefore, the accurate contrast is that one approach compares to peers while the other measures against defined criteria. The other statements fall short because they either describe only one type or claim that both assess against defined criteria, which isn’t true for norm-referenced assessments.