GED Assessment & Evaluation Methods 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In GED preparation, 'norm-referenced' scoring means a student's results are compared to:
- A fixed set of learning objectives
- The performance of a representative sample of test-takers (Correct answer)
- The student's own previous scores
- Teacher-developed grading criteria
Correct answer: The performance of a representative sample of test-takers
Norm-referenced assessments rank a student's performance relative to a norming group, showing how they compare to others.
Question 2: Which of the following is an example of criterion-referenced assessment in a GED context?
- Ranking students from highest to lowest score on a test
- Determining whether a student met the 145-point passing threshold on each GED subtest (Correct answer)
- Comparing a student's score to the class average
- Assigning grades on a curve
Correct answer: Determining whether a student met the 145-point passing threshold on each GED subtest
Criterion-referenced assessment measures whether a student has met a defined standard or cut score, independent of how others performed.
Question 3: A GED instructor gives students a short quiz at the start of a unit to find out what they already know. This is an example of:
- Summative assessment
- Diagnostic assessment (Correct answer)
- Evaluative assessment
- Confirmative assessment
Correct answer: Diagnostic assessment
Diagnostic assessments are given before instruction to identify students' prior knowledge and misconceptions so teaching can be tailored accordingly.
Question 4: Which practice BEST ensures assessment fairness for GED students with documented learning disabilities?
- Waiving all assessment requirements
- Providing testing accommodations as specified in their documentation (Correct answer)
- Giving them a separate, easier version of the test
- Allowing peers to assist them during testing
Correct answer: Providing testing accommodations as specified in their documentation
Testing accommodations (e.g., extended time, large print) level the playing field without altering the construct being measured, ensuring valid and fair results.
Question 5: A teacher uses a rubric where a single holistic judgment is made about an entire piece of student writing. What type of rubric is this?
- Analytic rubric
- Holistic rubric (Correct answer)
- Single-point rubric
- Developmental rubric
Correct answer: Holistic rubric
A holistic rubric evaluates student work as a whole with one overall score rather than scoring individual criteria separately.
Question 6: Which term describes the unintended consequences of high-stakes testing, such as teachers focusing only on tested content?
- Curricular alignment
- Teaching to the test / washback effect (Correct answer)
- Formative narrowing
- Content validity threat
Correct answer: Teaching to the test / washback effect
The washback (or backwash) effect occurs when high-stakes assessments drive instructional decisions, often narrowing the curriculum to only what is tested.
Question 7: When analyzing GED classroom assessment data, a teacher finds that 90% of students missed the same science question. The MOST appropriate conclusion is:
- The students did not study enough
- The question may be poorly written, or the concept needs to be retaught (Correct answer)
- The test was too long for the time allotted
- The scoring key is probably correct and students simply failed
Correct answer: The question may be poorly written, or the concept needs to be retaught
When nearly all students miss the same item, it signals either an instructional gap or a flawed question that should be reviewed before drawing conclusions about student learning.
GED Assessment & Evaluation Methods 5
In GED preparation, 'norm-referenced' scoring means a student's results are compared to: