Twenty-two terms are defined the way an exam office uses them. These are the operational words: the ones that appear in a run sheet, a set of regulations, or a board minute. Each is defined in one or two sentences here and explained in full on the page that owns it.
Two groups of terms sit elsewhere on purpose. The measurement words, including validity, reliability, content specificity, and the standard error of measurement, are defined under validity and reliability because they need a paragraph each rather than a line. The station statistics are explained in reading station metrics.
The terms
How to use it
Two uses. The first is internal: agree these definitions once and put them in your regulations, because most OSCE arguments are about words rather than evidence. The second is external: a candidate handbook that defines the cut score and the conjunctive rule in one line each prevents a certain kind of appeal.
Where a term has a definition your regulations already give it, your version wins. The purpose here is a common starting point, not a standard.
Frequently asked questions
Is a checklist the same as a marking sheet?
In everyday use, yes. The term "marking sheet" is the safer term in regulations because it covers the observable items, the scale, and the global rating together, whereas "checklist" is sometimes read as the item list alone. The guide uses marking sheet when the whole document is meant.
Are simulated and standardized patients different?
The terms are used interchangeably in most of the literature. Where a distinction is drawn, standardized emphasizes consistency across candidates for an exam, and simulated emphasizes the portrayal itself. This guide uses simulated patient throughout.
What is the difference between a cut score and a pass mark?
None in practice. Cut score is the term standard-setting papers use, pass mark is the term regulations use. Pick one and use it consistently in every document a candidate will read.
Where do the measurement terms live?
On validity and reliability, which defines validity, reliability, Cronbach's alpha, the generalizability coefficient, content specificity and the standard error of measurement. They are kept together because each needs an explanation rather than a line.