ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the concepts of scaling, norming, and equating, as they pertain to assessment in higher education. Issues associated with scaling, norming, and equating in admissions testing, placement testing, and assessments used for outcomes and accountability are then discussed. Detailed examples of how scaling, norming, and equating procedures are used in the ACT (ACT, 2015a) and SAT (College Board, 2016c) admissions testing programs, and the Advanced Placement program are provided. A variety of scores and scales are used with educational tests. Raw scores can be as simple as a sum of the item scores, or so complicated that they depend on the entire pattern of item responses, as is sometimes the case with item response theory (IRT)-based scoring. Theoretical considerations for scoring, scaling, norming, and equating are described. Incorporating normative information begins with the administration of the test to a norm group. The implementation of test equating requires a process for collecting data, referred to as an equating design.
