Which type of assessment determines an individual's level of achievement in a specific area?

A criterion-referenced assessment is designed to evaluate an individual's performance against a predetermined standard or set of criteria, rather than comparing it to the performance of others. This type of assessment focuses on whether the individual has achieved specific skills or knowledge in a given area and measures their ability to meet those established benchmarks.

For example, in the context of speech-language pathology, a criterion-referenced assessment could be used to determine a child's ability to produce certain phonemes or to use specific grammatical structures. The results tell educators and clinicians whether the child has met the specific goals set for that area, informing further instruction or intervention strategies.

In contrast, a norm-referenced assessment compares an individual's performance to that of a larger group, typically to determine how an individual stands in relation to a normative population. Performance-based assessments focus on evaluating a student’s ability through specific tasks, while dynamic assessments measure a learner's potential for change via guided support. Thus, the essence of criterion-referenced assessments lies in measuring achievement against defined criteria rather than a broader population.