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Common Questions and Answers about Psych Test Properties

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Explain each of the following in own words. Each should not exceed 6 to 8 doubled spaced lines.
a) Norms- what are they? What should you consider when comparing a client's score with the norms?
b) Age and grade equivalent- norms and their limitations.
c) Raw score, standardized scores, and percentile scores
d) Local versus national norms
e) Correlation

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Solution Summary

Psychological tests are based on norms. This solution answers common questions about norms, including information on age and grade equivalents, raw scores, standard scores, percentiles, correlation, local norms, and national norms.

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Use the following to guide your responses to these questions:

Norms refer to Normative Data that is usually used when discussing psychological and other tests. When a test is normed, usually test publishers seek out psychologists to give new tests to a random sample of people (volunteers usually) so they can see what the average performance on the test is, and analyze the statistical properties of it.

When you are comparing a client's score to norms, it is important to note if the ethnicity and language and other individual factors have been included in the norming sample. For example, if you are giving an IQ test to a person who was born and raised in Alaska, you would like to ensure that the norming sample includes people from Alaska, so that it is a fair comparison.

Raw scores are merely the number correct on a given subtest. Please see the attached page for information on standard scores and percentiles as well as Age and Grade equivalents.
Local norms are merely norms that are based in a certain area. For example if a school district decides they want local norms on a particular test, they give the test to a representative sample in the district, and can then use those norms to compare kids they test with actual children living in the district. National norms are much broader and involve giving the test to a sample that usually matches census data. Then those norms can be used to compare a child's performance to other children their same age or grade, nationwide.

Correlation refers to how one test parallels another, or how the scores on the two tests compare. If a score on one test correlates to another, there is a relationship between the two. Correlation ...

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