A Method for Reaching a Compromise Between Absolute and Relative Standards in Examinations

Examining committees often need to reach a compromise between absolute and relative standards. Unfortunately, the way in which the compromise is achieved is usually unclear. This paper proposes a systematic method for reaching a compromise. In this method, the estimated passing score (level of minimum knowledge) is assumed to be related to the expected pass rate (percentage of successful candidates) through a simple linear function. The examination results define a function relating the percentage of candidates who would be successful given a specified passing score to the passing score. The intersection of both functions gives the required compromise.