Which score provides context by comparing individual results to a group's performance?

The score that provides context by comparing individual results to a group's performance is the norm score. Norm scores are derived from a normative group, which represents a specific population that has been tested. This allows educators or assessors to see how an individual student performs relative to their peers. For example, if an individual achieves a norm score that indicates they are in the 70th percentile, it means they performed better than 70% of the individuals in the normative group.

In contrast, raw scores simply reflect the number of correct answers or points earned, without any context for how that performance compares to others. Standard scores and scaled scores, while they also provide useful information about performance, often convert raw scores into different scales or distributions, but they do not directly indicate the individual's position within a normative group in the same clear manner as norm scores do. Thus, norm scores are especially valuable in educational settings for assessing where students stand in relation to a larger group.