Standards

Standards are the levels of performance, typically expressed as a rating or grade, on a given criterion. For example, an overall “B” grade may be the standard for admission to a graduate degree program, or accuracy 99% of the time may be the standard for a die-casting machine. Standards are often expressed in a score, often referred to as a cut score, but they may also be nonquantitative, such as, for example, providing an exemplar of acceptable performance. Standards may be absolute or relative and can be used in either a criterion-referenced or norm-referenced context. A standard need not be a single level of performance but may involve multiple levels of performance, such as excellent, acceptable, unacceptable. The term standard is often used incorrectly when what is meant is criterion, which is the more general description of desirable attributes or characteristics of the evaluand.