A good item on a norm-referenced achievement test is an item that
A) demonstrates that the testtaker has met certain pre-specified criteria.
B) high scorers respond to correctly while low scorer respond to incorrectly.
C) both high and low scorers respond to correctly.
D) low scorers seek clarification regarding the meaning of the question.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A good item on a norm-referenced achievement test is one that can differentiate between high and low scorers. If high scorers respond to an item correctly and low scorers respond to it incorrectly, it effectively distinguishes between the two groups. This is the essence of norm-referenced testing, where test-takers are compared to one another and not against pre-set criteria (option A). Option C cannot be right since a question that high- and low-performing students respond to just right cannot differentiate between them, and option D is irrelevant since it concerns low scores and not the item itself.

A Good Item on a Norm-Referenced Achievement Test Is an Item