Here's a breakdown:
* Psychometrics: The field of study that focuses on the theory and techniques of psychological measurement.
* Test Items: Individual questions or tasks on a standardized test.
* Accuracy: The degree to which a test-taker answers a question correctly.
The Importance of Basal Norms:
Basal norms are important for several reasons:
* Efficiency: They help to reduce testing time by eliminating unnecessary items that are too easy for the test-taker.
* Accuracy: Starting at a level where the test-taker is likely to answer correctly ensures that scores are more reliable and valid.
* Motivation: Starting at a level of success can increase the test-taker's motivation and confidence.
How Basal Norms are Determined:
* Standardization: Tests are typically standardized by administering them to a large and representative sample of individuals.
* Item Analysis: The performance of the sample on each item is analyzed to determine its difficulty.
* Basal Level: The level at which a certain number of consecutive items (usually 3 or 5) are answered correctly is designated as the basal level.
Example:
If a test-taker answers the first 3 items correctly, but then gets the 4th item wrong, the basal level would be at item 1.
In Summary:
Basal norms are a key component of standardized testing that helps to ensure efficient, accurate, and motivating assessment. They define the starting point for testing based on the test-taker's ability level.