What do standard scores represent in assessment?

Standard scores represent transformed scores that allow for comparison to a mean, typically within a defined group. These scores standardize raw test results on a common scale, which helps to interpret performance in relation to the average performance of a population. By transforming raw scores into standard scores, it becomes easier to see how individual performance relates to the mean of the group, facilitating an understanding of where a student stands relative to their peers. This process often involves calculating the mean and standard deviation of a group, allowing educators to assess strengths and weaknesses effectively.

Raw scores, the actual number of points a student earns on an assessment, don’t provide meaningful insights without context, hence they are not the focus here. A single-digit scoring system may restrict the representation of data, lacking the depth that standard scores provide. Finally, criterion-referenced performance emphasizes how a student performs relative to a specific standard or benchmark rather than providing a comparative analysis against a population mean, thus distinguishing it from the concept of standard scores.