Proposed Definition
Two definitions may help further clarify the distinction between the two terms.
In a performance assessment, the student completes or demonstrates the same behavior that the assessor desires to measure. There is a minimal degree, if any, of inference involved. For example, if the behavior to be measured is writing, the student writes. The student does not complete multiple-choice question about sentences and paragraphs, which instead measure the student’s ability to proofread other people’s ability to write.