Premium
Connotative Meanings of Student Performance Labels Used in Standard Setting
Author(s) -
Burt Wia M.,
Stapleton Laura M.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
educational measurement: issues and practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.158
H-Index - 52
eISSN - 1745-3992
pISSN - 0731-1745
DOI - 10.1111/j.1745-3992.2010.00191.x
Subject(s) - connotation , psychology , sample (material) , apprenticeship , social psychology , cognitive psychology , linguistics , chemistry , chromatography , philosophy
The purpose of this study was to investigate the connotation of performance labels used in standard setting. For example, do the performance labels basic, proficient, and advanced hold different connotations than limited knowledge, satisfactory, and distinguished? If these terms hold different connotations, such differences may play a role in the standard‐setting process. A nationally representative sample of participants (n = 167) provided connotation ratings to an online instrument containing an experimental manipulation. Results suggested that the selected terms themselves do hold different connotations. After definitions were provided with the terms, the differences in the evaluative nature of the labels were mitigated. However, some differences remained; the term limited knowledge was persistently perceived as less favorable than basic and apprentice, and satisfactory was persistently perceived as less favorable than proficient.