Aptitude & Ability tests are used to make inferences
about your competencies, capabilities, and likely future
performance on the job. But what do your test scores mean and how
are they interpreted?
There are two distinct methods that employers use to interpret
your scores. These are called criterion-referenced interpretation
and norm-referenced interpretation.
Criterion-Referenced Interpretation.
In criterion-referenced tests, your test score indicates the
amount of skill or knowledge that you have in a particular subject
area. The test score is not used to indicate how well you compare
to others - it relates solely to your degree of competence in the
specific area assessed. Criterion-referenced assessment is
generally associated with achievement testing and certification.
A particular test score is chosen as the minimum acceptable level
of competence. This can either be set by the test publisher who
will convert test scores into proficiency standards, or the
company may use its own experience to do this.
|
Proficiency Level |
Words per Minute |
Max errors/100 words |
|
1 |
50 |
2 |
|
2 |
70 |
2 |
|
3 |
100 |
1 |
For example, suppose a company needs clerical staff with word
processing proficiency. The test publisher may provide a
conversion table relating word processing skill to various levels
of proficiency, or the companies own experience with current
clerical employees may help them to determine the passing score.
They may decide that a minimum of 50 words per minute with no more
than two errors per 100 words is sufficient for a job with
occasional word processing duties. Alternatively, if they have a
job with high production demands, they may set the minimum at 100
words per minute with no more than 1 error per 100 words.
Norm-Referenced Interpretation
In norm-referenced test interpretation, your scores are compared
with the test performance of a particular reference group, called
the norm group. The norm group usually consists of large
representative samples of individuals from specific populations,
undergraduates, senior managers or clerical workers. It is the
average performance and distribution of their scores that become
the test norms of the group.
This illustration shows the distribution and mean scores for a
variety of groups for a specific test. A score of 150 on this test
would be average for someone working for the organization at an
administrative level but would be below average compared to the
organizations graduate trainees, where the average score was 210.
Within the field of occupational testing, a wide variety of
individuals are assessed for a broad range of different jobs.
Clearly, people vary markedly in their abilities and qualities,
and the norm group against which you are compared is of crucial
importance. To make sure that the test results can be interpreted
in a meaningful way, the test administrator will identify the most
appropriate norm group. This is done by comparing the educational
level, the occupational, language and cultural backgrounds, and
other demographic characteristics of the individuals making up the
two groups (norm group & test group) to establish their
similarity.
Scoring Systems >
Everything you need to pass
psychometric tests
|
