What is a standardized test?
Q: What is a standardized test?
A: A standardized test is a type of assessment that is done and scored in a consistent, uniform manner. It is designed to be administered and graded the same way no matter where it is taken.
Q: What are some examples of standardized tests?
A: Examples of standardized tests include the SAT and ACT in the United States, the Gaokao in China, and the LSAT for lawyers. In the US they are also often used as multiple-choice questions in educational systems.
Q: Why are standardized tests thought to be an inadequate measure of educational progress?
A: Some people believe that standardized tests do not provide an accurate or comprehensive measure of educational progress because they are convenient and inexpensive ways to grade students without requiring expertise in the subject area being tested.
Q: When was the first known standardized test created?
A: The first known example of a standardized test was during Imperial China when Empress Wu allowed anyone who passed her test to become a government official based on their merit rather than birthright. However, there are no details available about this system.
Q: How can psychological tests be designed to be standardised?
A: Psychological tests can be designed to be standardised by creating an objective and standardised measure of behaviour which will remain consistent regardless of who takes it or when it is taken.
Q: Who uses these types of tests today? A: Today, these types of tests are used by universities for entry exams such as SATs or ACTs, by employers for job requirements such as LSATs, and by schools for multiple choice questions in their educational systems.
