This information is provided for the test as a whole and for each domain. Individual score reports will be mailed to candidates in December. Score reports for each specialty will be mailed at different times, as the scheduling of the conference calls is different for each Specialty Council. In early January, rosters by specialty of newly certified pharmacist specialists will be posted on the BPS web page and a news release will be sent to over 500 pharmacy leaders, journals and media contacts reporting the outcomes of the exams. The following section explains that process.
Standards can be either relative or absolute.
A relative standard, more commonly referred to as norm-referenced , involves setting the passing score relative to the obtained test statistics of a group of individuals. This method depends on comparisons among the candidates. This is the method used in many academic settings. A major advantage of the norm-referenced method is that the proportion of candidates that will pass or fail the examination can be predetermined. A major disadvantage of this method is that passing or failing the examination depends on the relative ability of the examinees with whom an individual is tested.