What describes specific skills or knowledge that a test taker can demonstrate?

The choice of a criterion-referenced test accurately describes a testing approach that focuses on whether individual test takers have acquired specific skills or knowledge. These tests measure performance against a defined set of standards or criteria, indicating whether the test taker has achieved the necessary level of understanding or skill in a particular area, rather than measuring their performance in comparison to other test takers.

In this context, criterion-referenced tests are designed to determine if each student demonstrates competency in particular skills or knowledge areas. For instance, in education, a criterion-referenced test might assess whether students know the content required by the curriculum, regardless of how their scores compare to those of their peers. This means the results can help educators decide whether students are ready to advance to more complex concepts based on demonstrated proficiency.

While other types of tests, such as standardized or norm-referenced tests, involve comparisons between test takers and can provide useful insights into overall performance trends, they do not specifically assess individual competencies relative to fixed criteria. Standardized tests can measure performance against a uniform standard, but they do not necessarily pertain to whether someone has met a specific set of criteria. Norm-referenced tests compare a student's performance to that of a group, providing a ranking rather than an assessment of