Which statement best describes the Hofstee Method?

• A. A compromise method that addresses the difference between norm-referenced and criterion-referenced tests
• B. A method for standardizing test administration across populations
• C. A technique for calculating the discrimination index of items
• D. A type of summative assessment used at the end of instruction

Answer: (A)

The Hofstee method is a standard-setting approach that blends information about how a test typically performs in a population with explicit judgments about what should count as passing. A panel specifies acceptable minimum and maximum passing scores and acceptable minimum and maximum failure rates. Then, using the test’s actual score distribution, a cut score is chosen that fits within those bounds. This creates a compromise between norm-referenced ideas (how scores spread across test-takers) and criterion-referenced decisions (what score is deemed passing). It’s not about standardizing test administration, nor about calculating item discrimination, nor defining a type of summative assessment.