IQ stands for intelligence quotient. Today, the term usually describes a score from an intelligence assessment. Understanding that score starts with understanding the test that produced it: its questions, scoring rules and comparison group.

A score needs a scale

Imagine two quizzes. You answer 18 out of 20 questions on the first and 18 out of 40 on the second. The identical total does not mean identical performance. The question difficulty and the number of opportunities were different.

An IQ-style number adds another step: a scoring method converts performance into a scale. That conversion can make a result easier to discuss, but its meaning still depends on how the scale was developed. Printing the number 100 at the center does not, by itself, establish a population comparison.

What to look for in a report

  • The name and version of the assessment.
  • The number and type of tasks completed.
  • An explanation of how answers become a score.
  • The group used for comparison, where one exists.
  • The intended use and any measurement limitations.

These details are more useful than a dramatic adjective beside the number. A report can also show individual areas of performance, helping you identify which tasks were straightforward and which deserve review.

How this applies to starp

starp combines 30 questions across four reasoning areas. Correct answers are counted and converted using a fixed scoring table. That table was calibrated using 12,700 simulated completed assessments, producing an average of exactly 100 in that group.

The number summarizes performance within starp's method. It is not a certificate for school placement, a diagnosis or a substitute for a professional assessment. If you need a result for a specific organization, ask which assessments it accepts before taking a test.

A useful next step

After receiving a result, read one explanation for a question you missed and describe the rule in your own words. That gives you a concrete learning outcome. Treating the score as a starting point for understanding your reasoning is more productive than treating it as a complete description of yourself.