A Comparative Study of Standard‐setting Methods

The borderline‐group method and the contrasting‐groups method were each compared with Nedelsky's method at four schools and with Angoff's method at another four schools, using tests of basic skills in reading and mathematics. The borderline‐group and contrasting‐groups methods produced similar results when approximately equal numbers of students were classified as masters and nonmasters. The contrasting‐groups passing score was lower than the borderline‐group passing score when masters greatly outnumbered nonmasters; higher when nonmasters outnumbered masters. Results involving the Nedelsky and Angoff methods were not consistent across schools. Passing scores tended to be higher at schools where students were more able.