Criterion-referenced tests are best described as...

• A. They determine whether a student has mastered specific skills, regardless of peers
• B. They compare students against each other
• C. They measure test speed
• D. They are always norm-referenced

Answer: (A)

Criterion-referenced assessments measure mastery of defined skills against fixed criteria, not how students perform relative to one another. The focus is on whether the learner has demonstrated the specific abilities or knowledge to a set standard, so results tell you which skills are mastered and which need more work, independent of classmates’ performance. This is different from norm-referenced testing, which compares students to peers and often reports rankings or percentiles. While timing of a test can vary, that isn’t what defines criterion-referenced tests—the key is mastery against predefined criteria. So the best description is that they determine whether a student has mastered specific skills, regardless of peers.