Referentienormen

Referentienormen are normative benchmarks used to interpret measurements by comparing a result with values from a reference population or a theoretical distribution. They indicate what is typical or acceptable within a given context and are used in norm-referenced assessments.

They enable ranking, categorization (percentiles, standard scores), trend tracking, and informed decision-making in fields such as education, health, and social science. They are often contrasted with criterion-referenced standards that define explicit criteria independent of others.

Norms are established from representative data, with distributions analyzed and normative values tabulated. They are usually stratified by relevant factors such as age, sex, or region and updated periodically to reflect demographic and practice changes.

Applications include standardized tests in education, reference ranges in medicine, and normative scores in psychology. Examples include percentile ranks in school tests, laboratory reference intervals, and IQ-type standard scores.

Limitations include population specificity, potential biases in the reference sample, and drift over time. Norms should be used with caution and often alongside criterion-based standards for a complete assessment.