The type of test exemplified by the IQ test is what?

• A. Norm Referenced Test
• B. Criterion Referenced Test
• C. Aptitude Test
• D. Diagnostic Test

Answer: (A)

This item tests how IQ tests are interpreted: through normative comparison. IQ assessments are standardized against a large, representative sample, so each score shows where a person stands relative to peers—often expressed as a standard score or percentile. That comparative framework is what defines a norm-referenced test: you’re judged by how your performance compares to others, not by meeting a fixed set of criteria or demonstrating mastery of specific content.

A criterion-referenced test, by contrast, measures whether you have mastered particular skills or content against predefined criteria, independent of how others perform. An aptitude test aims to gauge potential for future learning or performance, not primarily how you compare to a norm group. A diagnostic test seeks to identify specific strengths or weaknesses to guide remediation. Since the IQ test is designed to position an individual within a distribution of scores from a normative sample, the norm-referenced description best fits.