WGU D659 Objective Assessment
Questions and Ansẉers with
Expert-Verified Explanation 2026\2027
update
This Exam contains:
Guarantee passing score
Questions and Ansẉers
format set of multiple-choice
Expert-Verified Explanation
, Verified ẉith trusted textbooks
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1. When a teacher uses quick exit tickets at the end of a lesson to check for
student understanding and adjust the next lesson accordingly, what type
of assessment is this?
A. Summative assessment
B. Norm-referenced assessment
C. Formative assessment
D. Diagnostic assessment
Correct Answer: C
Expert Explanation: Formative assessment is used during instruction to
provide ongoing feedback that teachers can use to adjust their teaching and
students can use to improve their learning . Exit tickets are a classic example
because they are brief, frequent, and inform immediate instructional decisions.
Summative assessments occur at the end of a unit to evaluate overall learning.
Norm-referenced assessments compare students to peers. Diagnostic
assessments are given before instruction to identify prior knowledge. The key
here is that the teacher is using the data to adjust the next lesson, which is the
defining purpose of formative assessment.
2. A district administers an annual standardized reading test to determine
how well schools are meeting state benchmarks at the end of the year.
What kind of assessment is this best described as?
A. Summative assessment
B. Formative assessment
C. Informal assessment
D. Ipsative assessment
Correct Answer: A
Expert Explanation: Summative assessment evaluates student learning at the
conclusion of an instructional period (end of year, end of unit) against a
standard or benchmark . These high-stakes tests measure cumulative
knowledge and are used for accountability. Formative assessments are ongoing
and low-stakes. Informal assessments are unstructured observations. Ipsative
,assessment compares a student's current performance to their past
performance. The annual standardized reading test is used to judge school
effectiveness against state standards, which is a summative function.
3. A teacher compares one student's essay scores across multiple
semesters to determine if they are improving compared only to their own
past work. What type of assessment is this?
A. Norm-referenced assessment
B. Ipsative assessment
C. Criterion-referenced assessment
D. Diagnostic assessment
Correct Answer: B
Expert Explanation: Ipsative assessment measures a student's performance
against their own previous performance over time, tracking growth and
progress individually . It Correct Answers "Are you improving compared to
yourself?" Norm-referenced compares students to a peer group. Criterion-
referenced measures mastery of specific standards. Diagnostic identifies pre-
existing knowledge. This teacher is specifically looking at intra-student growth
across semesters, which is the essence of ipsative assessment.
4. Before starting a new science unit, a teacher administers a pre-test to
find out what prior knowledge students already have about ecosystems.
What is this type of assessment?
A. Diagnostic assessment
B. Summative assessment
C. Norm-referenced assessment
D. Criterion-referenced assessment
Correct Answer: A
Expert Explanation: Diagnostic assessment is given before instruction begins
to determine students' existing knowledge, skills, misconceptions, or learning
gaps . The pre-test's purpose is to guide instructional planning by identifying
what students already know and what needs to be taught. Summative
assessment evaluates final learning. Norm-referenced compares to peers.
Criterion-referenced measures against standards. The timing (before the unit)
and purpose (identify prior knowledge) make this a diagnostic assessment.
5. When a teacher observes students during group work, takes notes about
participation, and uses that information to guide future lessons, which type
of assessment is being used?
, A. Informal assessment
B. Summative assessment
C. Standardized testing
D. Norm-referenced testing
Correct Answer: A
Expert Explanation: Informal assessment involves unstructured, often
spontaneous methods of gathering information about student learning, such as
observation, checklists, and anecdotal notes . It does not involve standardized
procedures or formal scoring. The teacher's observation and note-taking during
group work is a classic example of informal assessment used to inform
instruction. Standardized testing and norm-referenced testing are formal.
Summative assessment occurs at the end of a unit.
6. A teacher uses a rubric aligned to state standards to grade student
essays fairly and consistently. What type of assessment is this an example
of?
A. Criterion-referenced assessment
B. Norm-referenced assessment
C. Ipsative assessment
D. Informal observation
Correct Answer: A
Expert Explanation: Criterion-referenced assessment measures student
performance against a fixed set of criteria or learning standards, not against
other students . The rubric aligned to state standards establishes the criteria for
mastery. Each student's essay is judged against the rubric, not against
classmates' essays. Norm-referenced compares students to each other. Ipsative
compares to past self. Informal observation is unstructured. The use of
standards-aligned rubrics is the hallmark of criterion-referenced assessment.
7. A student's test score shows how they rank compared to all other
students in the state. What assessment type does this best represent?
A. Norm-referenced
B. Criterion-referenced
C. Ipsative
D. Informal
Correct Answer: A
Expert Explanation: Norm-referenced assessment compares an individual
student's performance to that of a larger group (the "norm group"), often
reported as percentiles or stanines . The ranking compared to other students in
Questions and Ansẉers with
Expert-Verified Explanation 2026\2027
update
This Exam contains:
Guarantee passing score
Questions and Ansẉers
format set of multiple-choice
Expert-Verified Explanation
, Verified ẉith trusted textbooks
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────
─
1. When a teacher uses quick exit tickets at the end of a lesson to check for
student understanding and adjust the next lesson accordingly, what type
of assessment is this?
A. Summative assessment
B. Norm-referenced assessment
C. Formative assessment
D. Diagnostic assessment
Correct Answer: C
Expert Explanation: Formative assessment is used during instruction to
provide ongoing feedback that teachers can use to adjust their teaching and
students can use to improve their learning . Exit tickets are a classic example
because they are brief, frequent, and inform immediate instructional decisions.
Summative assessments occur at the end of a unit to evaluate overall learning.
Norm-referenced assessments compare students to peers. Diagnostic
assessments are given before instruction to identify prior knowledge. The key
here is that the teacher is using the data to adjust the next lesson, which is the
defining purpose of formative assessment.
2. A district administers an annual standardized reading test to determine
how well schools are meeting state benchmarks at the end of the year.
What kind of assessment is this best described as?
A. Summative assessment
B. Formative assessment
C. Informal assessment
D. Ipsative assessment
Correct Answer: A
Expert Explanation: Summative assessment evaluates student learning at the
conclusion of an instructional period (end of year, end of unit) against a
standard or benchmark . These high-stakes tests measure cumulative
knowledge and are used for accountability. Formative assessments are ongoing
and low-stakes. Informal assessments are unstructured observations. Ipsative
,assessment compares a student's current performance to their past
performance. The annual standardized reading test is used to judge school
effectiveness against state standards, which is a summative function.
3. A teacher compares one student's essay scores across multiple
semesters to determine if they are improving compared only to their own
past work. What type of assessment is this?
A. Norm-referenced assessment
B. Ipsative assessment
C. Criterion-referenced assessment
D. Diagnostic assessment
Correct Answer: B
Expert Explanation: Ipsative assessment measures a student's performance
against their own previous performance over time, tracking growth and
progress individually . It Correct Answers "Are you improving compared to
yourself?" Norm-referenced compares students to a peer group. Criterion-
referenced measures mastery of specific standards. Diagnostic identifies pre-
existing knowledge. This teacher is specifically looking at intra-student growth
across semesters, which is the essence of ipsative assessment.
4. Before starting a new science unit, a teacher administers a pre-test to
find out what prior knowledge students already have about ecosystems.
What is this type of assessment?
A. Diagnostic assessment
B. Summative assessment
C. Norm-referenced assessment
D. Criterion-referenced assessment
Correct Answer: A
Expert Explanation: Diagnostic assessment is given before instruction begins
to determine students' existing knowledge, skills, misconceptions, or learning
gaps . The pre-test's purpose is to guide instructional planning by identifying
what students already know and what needs to be taught. Summative
assessment evaluates final learning. Norm-referenced compares to peers.
Criterion-referenced measures against standards. The timing (before the unit)
and purpose (identify prior knowledge) make this a diagnostic assessment.
5. When a teacher observes students during group work, takes notes about
participation, and uses that information to guide future lessons, which type
of assessment is being used?
, A. Informal assessment
B. Summative assessment
C. Standardized testing
D. Norm-referenced testing
Correct Answer: A
Expert Explanation: Informal assessment involves unstructured, often
spontaneous methods of gathering information about student learning, such as
observation, checklists, and anecdotal notes . It does not involve standardized
procedures or formal scoring. The teacher's observation and note-taking during
group work is a classic example of informal assessment used to inform
instruction. Standardized testing and norm-referenced testing are formal.
Summative assessment occurs at the end of a unit.
6. A teacher uses a rubric aligned to state standards to grade student
essays fairly and consistently. What type of assessment is this an example
of?
A. Criterion-referenced assessment
B. Norm-referenced assessment
C. Ipsative assessment
D. Informal observation
Correct Answer: A
Expert Explanation: Criterion-referenced assessment measures student
performance against a fixed set of criteria or learning standards, not against
other students . The rubric aligned to state standards establishes the criteria for
mastery. Each student's essay is judged against the rubric, not against
classmates' essays. Norm-referenced compares students to each other. Ipsative
compares to past self. Informal observation is unstructured. The use of
standards-aligned rubrics is the hallmark of criterion-referenced assessment.
7. A student's test score shows how they rank compared to all other
students in the state. What assessment type does this best represent?
A. Norm-referenced
B. Criterion-referenced
C. Ipsative
D. Informal
Correct Answer: A
Expert Explanation: Norm-referenced assessment compares an individual
student's performance to that of a larger group (the "norm group"), often
reported as percentiles or stanines . The ranking compared to other students in
