Interpretation of

Test Scores
Prepared by:
Pruna Mae Angela F. Rivera, LPT
Test Interpretation

- the process of analyzing scores in a

test
- translating qualitative data into
quantitative and grading into
numerical
- score interpretation is same as test
interpretation
Scores
“A summary of the evidence contained
in an examinee's responses to the
items of a test that are related to the
construct or constructs being
measured”.

Types of Scores:
• Raw scores
• Scales Scores
Raw Scores:
- the number of points received on a test
when the test has been according to
direction.
Example:
• A Student got 10 out of a 20 scores in item
quiz.
• Raw scores reflect an immediate
interpretation as a response to the scores.
• It does not yield a meaningful
interpretation because it just raw scores.
• Thus, we have to interpret Ali’s score in a
more descriptive and meaningful way.
Scaled Scores:
- the results of transformation (usually
transformed through a consistent
scale)
Examples:
• A child awarded scale score of 100 is judged to
have met the “National Standard” in the area of
judged by the test.
• A child awarded scale score more than 100 is judged
to have exceeded national standard and
demonstrated a higher then the expected knowledge
curriculum for their age.

• A child awarded scale score less than 100 is judged to

have not yet met the “National standard” and
perform below the expectation from their age.
 Methods of Interpreting Test
Scores
Referencing Framework
- a structure you can use to compare
student performance to something external
to the assessment itself.

• Criterion Referencing Framework

• Norm Referencing Framework
 Criterion Referencing
Framework
 permits us to describe an
individual’s performance without
referring to the performance of other.
 infers the kind of performance a
student can do in a domain, rather
than the student’s relative standing in
a norm group.
Criterion: the domain of performance to
which you reference a student’s
assessment results.

• Most widely used interpretation

because of its ease of computation and
there is a ready transmutation table
printed at the inside back cover of the
teacher’s class record.
Criterion: the domain of performance to
which you reference a student’s
assessment results.

• A criterion referenced interpretation

of score requires a comparison of
particular student score with
subjective and pre-determined
performance standard (Criteria).
Criterion: the domain of performance
to which you reference a student’s
assessment results.

• Criterion referenced and standard

based interpretation of test result are
most meaningful when the test has
been specifically designed for this
purpose.
 Criterion Referenced
Interpretation

• Describes student performance

according to a specified domain or
clearly defined learning tasks.

• Concerned with national

examination and other assessment
bodies.
 Criterion Referenced
Interpretation

• Used in the assessment of vocational

and academic qualifications.
• Results are given on a pass/fail,
competent/not competent basis.
• Results are conclusive and usually
open to review.
 Norm Referencing Framework

• Norm referenced framework

interpretation tell us how an
individual compares with other
students who have taken the same
test.
 Norm Referencing Framework

• How much student knows is

determined by his standing or rank
within the reference group. This
means that student’s scores is not
treated individually but as the part of
the group where the student
belongs.
Norm Group
- the well defined group of other
students.
- ranks the scores of student from
highest score to the lowest one
- provides an immediate sample of
norm referenced interpretation.
Norm Group

However, barely ranking “raw scores”

to interpret student’s performance
formally is not proper and valid.
“The raw scores converted to
derived scores.”
Derived Score
- is a numerical report of test
performance on a scale that has well
defined characteristics and yields
normative meanings.
 Grade Norms
• Name of Derived Scores -------- Grade Equivalents
• Grade in which student’s raw score is average.
• The grade equivalent that corresponds to a particular
raw score identifies the grade level at which the typical
student obtains raw score.
 Percentile Norms
• Name of Derived Scores----------- Percentile Ranks
• Percentile of students in the reference group who
fall below student’s raw score
 Standard Scores Norms
• Name of Derived -----------Standard Scores
• Distance of student’s raw score above or
below the mean of the reference group in
terms of standards units
Stanine
• (Standard NINE) is a method of
scaling test scores on a nine-point
standard scale with a mean of five
and a standard deviation of two.
 NORM REFERENCED
INTERPRETATION ADVANTAGES

• It is very easy to use.

• It is appropriate to a large group of
students that is, more than 40.
• It increases the healthy competition among
the students.
• The teacher easily identifies learning
criteria – the percentage of students who
receive highest grade or lowest grade.
Disadvantages:
• The performance of a student is not
only determined by his achievement,
but also the achievement of the other
students
• It promotes intense competition
among the students rather than
cooperation
• It cannot be used when the class size is
smaller than 40.
• Not all the student can pass the given
subject or course
 CRITERION REFERENCED
INTERPRETATION ADVANTAGES

• The performance of the students

will not be affected by the of the
whole class.
• It promotes cooperation among
the students.
• All students may pass the subject or
course when they meet the set by
the teacher
Disadvantages
• It is difficult to set a reasonable
standard if it is not stated in the
grading policies of the institution

• All students may not pass the

subject or course when they do not
meet the standard set by the teacher
or the institution.
Percentage
• In mathematics a relationship
with 100 is called percentage
(denoted %). Often it is useful to
express the scores in terms of
percentages for comparison.
 Consider the following example:

Grade Class “A” students % Grade Class “B” students %

A 10 12.50 A 8 40
B 25 31.25 B 6 30
C 30 37.50 C 4 20
D 15 18.75 D 2 10
Total 80 100 Total 20 100