Which description fits an indirect test?

Which description fits an indirect test?

• A. Indirect test
• B. Direct test
• C. Diagnostic test
• D. Proficiency test

Answer: (A)

An indirect test gathers evidence about a target ability through proxies rather than asking the person to perform the exact task. It uses related indicators—like questionnaires, self-reports, observer ratings, or situational judgments—that correlate with the skill to infer ability without direct demonstration. This is handy when direct testing isn’t practical or when you want to capture typical behavior or potential. By contrast, a direct test requires actually performing the task to measure the skill, while a diagnostic test aims to pinpoint specific weaknesses, and a proficiency test measures overall level in a domain.

An indirect test gathers evidence about a target ability through proxies rather than asking the person to perform the exact task. It uses related indicators—like questionnaires, self-reports, observer ratings, or situational judgments—that correlate with the skill to infer ability without direct demonstration. This is handy when direct testing isn’t practical or when you want to capture typical behavior or potential. By contrast, a direct test requires actually performing the task to measure the skill, while a diagnostic test aims to pinpoint specific weaknesses, and a proficiency test measures overall level in a domain.