Which statement best describes what standard deviation indicates in test score interpretation?

Which statement best describes what standard deviation indicates in test score interpretation?

• A. The specific interval between bands of scores; each interval indicates a different level of achievement
• B. The range of scores from highest to lowest
• C. The average score
• D. The variance of test scores

Answer: (A)

Standard deviation shows how scores spread out around the average. It tells you whether most students cluster near the mean or if there is wide variability across the scores. It does not describe the interval between score bands or the specific categories of achievement, nor does it equal the range (the difference between highest and lowest scores) or the average itself. It’s closely related to variance—variance is the average of squared deviations from the mean, and the standard deviation is the square root of that value. In short, standard deviation indicates the dispersion of test scores around the mean.

Standard deviation shows how scores spread out around the average. It tells you whether most students cluster near the mean or if there is wide variability across the scores. It does not describe the interval between score bands or the specific categories of achievement, nor does it equal the range (the difference between highest and lowest scores) or the average itself. It’s closely related to variance—variance is the average of squared deviations from the mean, and the standard deviation is the square root of that value. In short, standard deviation indicates the dispersion of test scores around the mean.