Discussion Question

Standardization refers to research process that involves careful selection of test items. It also involves administration of items in a sample drawn from defined population as well as statistical analysis of results that establishes age based norms that develops instructions and response scoring procedures. Standardized test is required to be self contained by having all needed stimulus materials as well as various recording forms should be specified. Instrument should facilitate uniform administration and scoring responses implemented by different examiners within a valid setting to minimize any influence of different examiners. Instruments should ensure that settings are implemented on skills being measured.

Standardized test are usually norm referenced. A norm referenced test refers to test that ‘are standardized. Norm referenced tests helps in comparing client’s performance wi0th another performance of another group of individuals referred to as normative group. A norm refers to performance measure of given normative group based on a tested skill. A normative group refers to a representative sample of individuals of same age as well as same sex wi0th client where possible.

Selected normative sample should have the following characteristics

1.       Size of sample should be less than 100 making sample meet minimum requirement of sample size. Otherwise, sample results to test of extremely limited application

2.       Selected standardized sample should reveal ethnocultural and social economic levels. Various varieties of samples should be selected as well as different sub samples to facilitate effectiveness of test

3.       During selection of children participants various variables like IQ or medical status of selected sample should tested. Sample should reveal range of education and occupation of parents

4.       The sample should show descriptive statics. It should contain means and standard deviations for all sampled groups for the test items. The administered items should show additional statistical transfor6mation of raw scores like percentiles

Test items selected should represent skills that require to be measured. Results are analyzed to establish normal distribution cores. Normal distributed scores is represented by bell shaped curve with wide range of scores or values measured aligned on horizontal axis while number of participants receiving scores aligned on vertical axis. Bell shaped curve result because more people are concentrated at middle at center of tendency at median and mean scores. Decrease in concentration of people is noted as one move away from middle.

Peak of bell shaped curve represent central tendency representing mean, median and average score on performance of test called 50^th percentile. Mean represents statistical average of individual’s performance. However individual scores may not correspond with the mean they may show deviation. The extent in which individual scores deviates away from mean is referred to as standard deviation.  

Raw score of an individual refers to initial score given based on correct responses to items being tested. Raw scores of different individuals can be compared with one another. Most standardized scores are statistically transformed to other scores referred to as derived scores or scales. They are compared to show strengths and limitations. Methods of transforming raw sores i0nkto scale score include percentiles scales, standard scores, and stanines.

Percentiles: represents percentage of people in standardization sample scoring below, at or above a given raw score.

Standard Scores (Z- and T-Stores): represents a degree at which child score deviates from mean score it is usually expressed in form of standard deviation (SD).

Stanine: it statistical product based on nine unit scale having a mean of 5 ,it represents average performance and an SD with an approximation of 2.

References

Gregory, R. J. (2014). Psychological testing: History, principles, and applications (7th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

Sherry Roberts is the author of this paper. A senior editor at Melda Research in customized research paper if you need a similar paper you can place your order for medicine essay writing.