Advanced placement exams are an example of which testing approach?

• A. Criterion-referenced testing
• B. Norm-referenced testing
• C. Ipsative testing
• D. Proficiency testing

Answer: (A)

AP exams are designed to determine whether a student has mastered the specific content and skills defined for the course. Each question is tied to a defined learning objective, and the overall score is interpreted against fixed standards that indicate what level of mastery has been demonstrated. This means the aim is to assess meeting a predefined benchmark, not to rank you against other test-takers. That focus on reaching standard thresholds makes the approach criterion-referenced.

In contrast, norm-referenced testing would judge performance relative to the group, ipsative testing would compare you to your own past results, and proficiency testing centers on confirming a basic level of competence. AP exams use standards of mastery to decide college credit eligibility, which aligns with criterion-referenced assessment.