testtypen

Testtypen is the plural form of the German term Testtyp, meaning a category or kind of test. In practical use, it denotes recognizable classes of assessment tools that share purpose, methodology, or the kind of information they produce. Taxonomies of testtypen are used in education, psychology, medicine, and software development to organize assessment practices and guide selection and interpretation.

In education and psychology, common testtypen include achievement tests, which measure learned knowledge; aptitude tests, which assess potential; intelligence tests, which estimate cognitive ability; and personality or interest inventories, which explore dispositions or preferences. Tests can be norm-referenced, comparing a score to a reference group, or criterion-referenced, judging whether a specific criterion is met. They may be standardized, administered under uniform conditions, or non-standardized; formal or informal; formative (for improvement) or summative.

In software engineering, testtypen describe different levels of testing: unit testing checks individual components; integration testing examines interactions between components; system testing validates the complete system; acceptance testing verifies readiness for release; along with specialized types such as regression, performance, security, and usability testing.

Considerations for selecting testtypen include reliability and validity (or accuracy), fairness and cultural sensitivity, practicality and cost, and the intended decision or action based on results. Taxonomies are tools for guidance; real-world practice often combines multiple testtypen and adapts to context. Critics note that rigid classifications can obscure the complexity of measurement and risk bias if not applied carefully.