What type of tests produce scores that allow comparisons within a norm group?

Norm-referenced tests are designed specifically to provide scores that allow for comparisons among individuals within a defined norm group. These tests are constructed to assess how a test-taker performs relative to their peers. The primary goal of norm-referenced assessments is to rank students and identify where an individual stands in comparison to others, facilitating interpretations that are standardized against the performance of a representative sample. This type of assessment is typically used to categorize students into different performance levels, providing insights into individual strengths and weaknesses in relation to a broader population.

On the other hand, criterion-referenced tests measure an individual's performance against a specific set of criteria or learning standards instead of against the performance of others. Performance assessments evaluate a student's ability to apply skills and knowledge in practical or real-life situations, while informal assessments are often unstructured and can vary widely in format and purpose, typically not providing standard scores for comparison.