What best describes criterion-referenced data?

• A. Scores are compared to predefined standards or goals.
• B. Scores are compared to a reference population.
• C. Scores are used only for reliability.
• D. Scores are not tied to any standard.

Answer: (A)

Criterion-referenced data describe performance by comparing it to explicit standards or mastery criteria rather than to how others perform. The main purpose is to decide whether a person has achieved a defined level of ability or knowledge, such as meeting a passing score or demonstrating a required skill. This makes interpretation about mastery, not relative standing in a group. In contrast, norm-referenced data evaluate where someone stands compared to a reference population, and reliability is a property of the measurement itself, not its comparison framework.