Week 3: Understanding Assessment Scores
Understanding assessment scores and being able to relate those scores to the actual performance of the individual is an important skill for you to have. Test scores have no meaning unless they are understood within the context of that particular assessment – by itself, they mean nothing – they convey no meaning at all. In order for those scores to have meaning, counselors use transformed scores, both norm-referenced and criterion-referenced scores, in order to understand the scores and to relate their meaning to the test-takers, and to provide results. As a counselor, the ability to relay those test results in a manner that is appropriate and kind, you need to fully understand what those scores are, and how to calculate them. The information in this chapter is not difficult, but it is necessary for you to work through the math, and to have an understanding of what you are doing. Just a few more chapters, and you will be done with the math!
Session Objectives
By the end of this week, you will:
- Describe and evaluate raw scores and convey their limitations
- Define and explain criterion-referenced and norm-referenced interpretations
- Define and evaluate norm groups in terms of score interpretations
- Describe types of standard scores and their relationship to the normal curve
- Describe grade and age equivalent scores and explain their limitations
- Be able to demonstrate qualitative descriptions of assessment scores
- Define disability and explain standards for assessing individuals with disabling conditions
