Which tests are generally designed to measure a broad range of abilities across multiple areas?

Standardized tests are crafted to assess a wide variety of skills and abilities across numerous domains, often allowing for comparisons between individuals and population norms. These tests follow strict administration procedures and scoring guidelines, which contribute to their reliability and validity. The structured nature ensures that the same set of questions is presented to every participant under similar conditions, which aids in obtaining accurate measurements across different groups.

Because of their design, standardized tests are valuable for gathering data on overall performance levels in various areas—such as language, cognition, and academic readiness—which is useful in determining eligibility for certain services, tracking developmental progress, or conducting research. This contrasts with other assessment types that may focus more specifically on particular skills or outcomes rather than a broad overview.

For instance, narrative tests typically evaluate specific aspects of language through storytelling, while performance-based tests assess abilities through practical tasks in real-world contexts. Criterion-referenced tests measure performance against a fixed set of criteria or learning standards, lacking the comparative aspect indicative of standardized assessments.