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Our goal at ETS and the purpose of standardized tests are the same to provide fair, valid and
reliable assessments that produce meaningful results. Standardized testing, if done carefully and
with a high degree of quality assurance, can eliminate bias and prevent unfair advantages by
testing the same or similar information under the same testing conditions.
Standardized tests allow the comparison of test takers from different areas of the state, the
country and the world. What a test can do depends on whether it is well-designed for a particular
purpose. Well-designed tests can provide results that can be used in a variety of meaningful
ways, such as:
That's why dozens of professionals including test specialists, test reviewers, editors, teachers
and specialists in the subject or skill being tested are involved in developing every test
question, or "test item." And it's why all questions (or "items") are put through multiple, rigorous
reviews and meet the highest standards for quality and fairness in the testing industry.
Watch a brief video to learn how ETS creates fair, meaningful tests and test
questions (Flash, 5:59).
To help you further understand our process, here's an overview of the key steps ETS takes when
developing a new test.
ETS statisticians also can identify questions on which two groups of test takers who have
demonstrated similar knowledge or skills perform differently on the test through a process called
differential item functioning (DIF). If one group performs consistently better than another on a
particular question, that question receives additional scrutiny and may be deemed biased or
unsatisfactory. Note: If people in different groups actually differ in their average levels of
relevant knowledge or skills, a fair test question will reflect those differences.
Tests are also reviewed for reliability. Performance on one version of the test should reasonably
predict performance on any other version of the test. If reliability is high, results will be similar
no matter which version a test taker completes.
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Many educators and members of the public fail to grasp the distinctions between criterion-
referenced and norm-referenced testing. It is common to hear the two types of testing referred to
as if they serve the same purposes, or shared the same characteristics. Much confusion can be
eliminated if the basic differences are understood.
Criterion-Referenced Norm-Referenced
Dimension
Tests Tests
The differences outlined are discussed in many texts on testing. The teacher or administrator who
wishes to acquire a more technical knowledge of criterion-referenced test or its norm-referenced
counterpart, may find the text from which this material was adapted particularly helpful.
Additional resources: