What is another term for a raw score?

A raw score is a direct result of an assessment, representing the total number of points earned on a test without any transformation, adjustment, or interpretation. The term "obtained score" serves to emphasize that this score is the initial value derived directly from the assessment process before any further calculations, such as scaling or normalization, are applied.

The concept of an "obtained score" is crucial in psychometrics because it reflects the actual performance of a test-taker without any external influences or modifications. Understanding this term helps in distinguishing the raw or initial measures from other derived scores, such as standardized or scaled scores, which might be adjusted for various reasons, such as comparing performances across different test forms or populations.

This clarity is important in the field of psychometrics, where accurate measurement and interpretation of scores are fundamental to assessments used in educational and psychological contexts.