What is the example of ipsative assessment?

A classic example of ipsative assessment is a forced-choice questionnaire. In this type of assessment, respondents are presented with pairs or sets of options and must choose the option that best describes them, *even if both options are somewhat true*. The key is that the options are designed to be relatively similar in desirability.

For instance, a forced-choice item might present:

* Option A: I prefer working independently.

* Option B: I prefer working collaboratively.

The respondent must choose one option, even if they sometimes enjoy working independently and sometimes enjoy collaboration. The assessment doesn't measure how much they prefer independent work *overall* (like a normative assessment would), but rather compares their preference for independent vs. collaborative work *within themselves*.

Other examples of ipsative assessments might include:

* Ranking tasks: Asking a student to rank their three favorite subjects in order of preference. This reveals something about their *relative* preferences within their own individual preferences, not about how those preferences compare to other students.

* Profile-based assessments: Assessments that create a profile of an individual's strengths and weaknesses relative to their *own* capabilities, rather than comparing them to a norm group.

The crucial element in all ipsative assessments is the *intra-individual* comparison – the focus is on comparing different traits or behaviors *within the same person*, rather than comparing the person to a larger group.