A test or examination (informally, exam or evaluation) is an assessment intended to measure a test-taker's knowledge, skill, aptitude, physical fitness, or classification in many other topics (e.g., beliefs).

A test may be administered verbally, on paper, on a computer, or in a confined area that requires a test taker to physically perform a set of skills.

Tests vary in style, rigor and requirements.

For example, in a closed book test, a test taker is often required to rely upon memory to respond to specific items whereas in an open book test, a test taker may use one or more supplementary tools such as a reference book or calculator when responding to an item.

A test may be administered formally or informally.

An example of an informal test would be a reading test administered by a parent to a child.

An example of a formal test would be a final examination administered by a teacher in a classroom or an I.Q.

test administered by a psychologist in a clinic.

Formal testing often results in a grade or a test score.

A test score may be interpreted with regards to a norm or criterion, or occasionally both.

or pupil is a learner or someone who attends an educational institution.

In Britain those attending university are termed "students".

In the United States, and more recently also in Britain, the term "student" is applied to both categories.

In its widest use, student is used for anyone who is learning, including mid-career adults who are taking vocational education or returning to university.

When speaking about learning outside an institution, "student" is also used to refer to someone who is learning a topic or who is "a student of" a certain topic or person.

A teacher (also called a school teacher or, in some contexts, an educator) is a person who helps others to acquire knowledge, competences or values.

A school is an institution designed to provide learning spaces and learning environments for the teaching of students (or "pupils") under the direction of teachers.

Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory.

In these systems, students progress through a series of schools.

The names for these schools vary by country (discussed in the Regional section below) but generally include primary school for young children and secondary school for teenagers who have completed primary education.

An institution where higher education is taught, is commonly called a university college or university.

Expert is defined differently in varying academic fields.

Psychology defines an expert using superior performance; sociology considers that expertise is a label given to an individual by a group and is interested in the power held by experts; philosophy stresses the kind of knowledge held by experts but not novices.

Informally, an expert is someone widely recognized as a reliable source of or skill whose faculty for judging or deciding rightly, justly, or wisely is accorded authority and status by peers or the public in a specific well-distinguished domain.

An expert, more generally, is a person with extensive knowledge or ability based on research, experience, or occupation and in a particular area of study.

Experts are called in for advice on their respective subject, but they do not always agree on the particulars of a field of study.

An expert can be believed, by virtue of credential, training, education, profession, publication or experience, to have special knowledge of a subject beyond that of the average person, sufficient that others may officially (and legally) rely upon the individual's opinion.

Historically, an expert was referred to as a sage (Sophos).

The individual was usually a profound thinker distinguished for wisdom and sound judgment.