a surveyer's mark on a permanent object of predetermined position and elevation used as a reference point.

something serving as a standard by which related items may be judged; as, his painting sets the benchmark of quality.

a test or series of tests designed to compare the qualities or performance of different devices of the same type. Certain sets of computer programs are much used as benchmarks for comparing the performance of different computers, especially by comparing the time it takes to complete a test.

a standard measure of output or production.

A survey mark made on a monument having a known location and elevation, serving as a reference point for surveying.

Any one of several standards for gauging investment performance - typically, returns from comparable investments. One common benchmark of U.S. stock portfolios' performance, for instance, is the S&P 500 Index.

The performance of a predetermined group of securities for comparative purposes. Groups may be based on available indexes such as the Standard & Poors index or selected for specific investment strategies.

Measurement standard used when testing the performance of different brand names of equipment to rate them.

Anything that serves as a standard for the market.

A goal to be attained. These goals are chosen by comparisons with other providers, by consulting statistical reports available or are drawn from the best practices within the organization or industry. Benchmarks are used in quality improvement programs to encourage improvement of care, efficiencies or services. Benchmarks are also used for length of stay comparisons, costs, utilization review, risk management and financial analysis. The benchmarking process identifies the best performance in the industry (health care or non-health care) for a particular process or outcome, determines how that performance is achieved, and applies the lessons learned to improve performance.

(1) Sites for measuring natural phenomena in areas where human activity has essentially no effect. These sites would be expected to continue at least as long as natural conditions exist. (2) Certain existing examples or conditions in the field which are usable as established standards or definitions for practical comparison of "use capability" classes. Units of equal "use capability", but possessing markedly different physical features or appearances, can be recognized as being equal. (3) A set of estimates used to establish standards by which to compare alternatives considered in detail. Benchmark alternatives include minimum level, maximum resource levels, and maximum present net value levels.

Object of known elevation by datum reference.

Something already known that can be used to measure against.

An organization that is recognized for its exemplary operational performance in one or more areas and is willing to allow others to view its operations and tour its facilities.

the criteria used to gauge the market (e.g., sales, market share, consumer attitudes, consumer perceptions) just prior to the beginning of a promotion campaign, to serve as a yardstick or reference point against which campaign results can be measured; where things stand immediately before a marketing communications campaign. A vital part of the tracking method of measuring and evaluating campaign progress and results. Can also refer to a firm's sales before an advertising or promotion campaign. Also called baseline measure. See benchmarking, benchmark study, and tracking.

A standard measurement used to test the performance of different brands of equipment.

A description or example of candidate or institutional performance that serves as a standard of comparison for evaluation or judging quality.

Benchmarks are descriptions of standards of information and skills that students should know and/or be able to perform at developmentally appropriate levels in their education. Acting as “checkpoints,” benchmarks are used to monitor student performance progress within and across grade levels.

An established standard of achievement used as a point of reference to assess performance.

A permanent point whose known elevation is tied to a national network. These points are created to serve as a point of reference. Benchmarks have generally been established by the USGS, but may have been established by other Federal or local agencies. Benchmarks can be found on USGS maps.

This is the process of measuring the performance of hardware or software in a specifically defined and strictly controlled environment. The benchmarking result is usually represented by a time or a number rating that corresponds to how quickly certain tasks can be completed. The benchmark must be reproducible, of course, to have any meaning.

A market measure used by fund managers as a measurement to assess the risk and return of their portfolios against a comparable mix of assets. For example, the Australian All Ordinaries Accumulation Index is used as a benchmark to assess the performance of Australian share portfolios.

A point of reference, such as a description of recognised good practice, used by others to measure and compare their performance as a stimulation to improve performance.

A program of programs designed to test the speed and power of a computer. They are not to be taken at face value; their times are usually based on purely arithmetic functions, and may not relate directly to practical applications. They provide only a rough guide for comparing one computer against another.

A benchmark is sustained superior performance by a medical care provider, which can be used as a reference to raise the mainstream of care for Medicare beneficiaries. The relative definition of superior will vary form situation to situation. In many instances an appropriate benchmark would be a provider that appears in the top 10% of all providers for more than a year.

A previously agreed upon point of reference or measure used to evaluate performance.

Application programs which are used as a test in order to compare the performance of the hardware or software.

A standard used for comparison. For example, the performance of some index mutual funds is compared to the performance of the S&P 500® Index which serves as a benchmark.

Critical point in the analysis of a system or operation. Used as a verb to describe the action of evaluating a system or operation. Used as a noun when referring to a test which is used to determine system capabilities.

A standard, test, or point of reference (often a number).

Permanent object that is either natural or man-made with a known elevation that can be used as a reference point when navigating.

(also known as base line) is a measurement against which other data can be compared.

A metric used to quantify performance for comparative purposes. See benchmarking.

Benchmark is often a stockmarket index against which the performance of a unit trust is measured.

A reference point for measurements, normally one that is used for elevation reference.

A reference point or mark of known height. An OBM, ordinance bench mark, is a known height (can be found on an OS map) marked onto a building or other permanent structure. A TBM, temporary benchmark, is a point of assumed height on a site, to which all levels taken on that sight are relative.

standard tests that are used to compare the performance of computers, processors, circuits, or algorithms. [SILC99

A value used for comparison. For example, when a circuit is first put into service, it is tested for its transmission characteristics. These values are typically recorded and used for comparison when later testing becomes necessary on that circuit.

A specialized set of programs used to evaluate the performance of a computer or one of its elements, such as the drive or memory.

A comparative base for measuring the performance or risk tolerance of the investment portfolio. A benchmark should represent a close correlation to the level of risk and the average duration of the portfolio's investments.

(n.) a quantitative measure of performance for a computing system. The measure may be in terms of computational performance, which is often rated in FLOPS, or in terms of memory speed, or communications bandwidth or some more application-oriented measure such as LIPS or OLTPS. A collection of benchmark results for many computer systems is available on line from the National Software Exchange.

Something which allows you to measure the impact or success of a project by comparing it against something similar eg comparing the number of people enrolling on and completing a training course with a similar course in a similar area somewhere else.

A measure of success. The retrieval results of the different implementations provide the benchmarks for a Z39.50 testbed to test further scenarios against.

A point of reference (either an estimate or a count) from which measurement can be made or upon which adjustments are based.

A comparative group of assets that is used to fairly measure the performance of a given portfolio. Typically benchmarks have similar risk characteristics to the given portfolio so returns can be compared. Some common benchmarks include the Russell 1000, the Lehman Aggregate Bond Index and the S & P 500.

A point on the ground with a known elevation relative to mean sea level.

A specific standard against which some aspect of computer performance can be compared. A benchmark is a test that attempts to quantify hardware, software, or system performance--usually in terms of speed, reliability, or accuracy. One of the major problems in determining performance is deciding which of the many benchmarks available actually reflects the way you intend to use the system.(Ref: Dyson, Dictionary of Networking)

Point of reference used in estimation.

The industry measure of best performance for a particular indicator or performance goal. The benchmarking process identifies the best performance in the industry (health care or non-health care) for a particular process or outcome, determines how that performance is achieved, and applies the lessons learned to improve performance.

Target against which investment performance is measured. It may be an index or the average performance of similar portfolios (eg CAPS/WM/Micropal/Lipper).

reference point or standard against which progress or achievements may be compared, e.g., what has been achieved in the past, what other comparable organizations such as development partners are achieving, what was targeted or budgeted for, what could reasonably have been achieved in the circumstances.

A set of tests normally done during the feasibility study, to determine the technical standards to which the material should be digitised. Quality assurance procedures should measure the digitized images against these benchmarks.

A criterion-referenced objective performance datum that is used for comparative purposes. A program can use its own data as a baseline benchmark against which to compare future performance. It can also use data from another program as a benchmark. In the latter case, the other program often is chosen because it is exemplary and its data are used as a target to strive for, rather than as a baseline.

A point of reference from which comparisons can be made. For purposes of investments, a benchmark is a recognized compilation of similar investments against which performance comparisons can be made. Benchmarks are commonly called market "indexes."

a standard against which something can be measured or assessed.

A point of comparison used to evaluate investment performance. Mutual fund benchmarks are often indexes (for example, the S&P 500 Index or the Russell 2000.)

something that is used as a standard to measure the quality of other similar things Her research paper was so good it became the benchmark for other students

A relevant measurement tool used to monitor the performance of your investment portfolio, i.e. S&P 500.

A point of reference or a standard against which measurements can be compared. The origin of the term benchmark can be traced historically to woodworking on a bench or table, where a mark was placed as a point of reference from which relative lengths could be measured. Its contemporary use refers to a land surveyor's starting reference point, which is officially recognized as the location and elevation at that point from which the surveyor can determine another location and elevation. In the context of indicators, a benchmark is an accurate data point which is used as a reference for future comparisons (similar to a baseline). Sometimes it also refers to “best practices” in a particular field, and communities or companies compare themselves against those standards. For example, if the best recycling rate for communities in the state of Illinois is 33% of all homes in the jurisdiction, other communities in the state may use that figure as a benchmark to work toward or surpass. (Many groups use benchmark erroneously as a synonym for Indicator or Target.)

a bassline measurement of standard performance that is based on the quality of service or product

a comparable broad-based index that can be used in evaluating a fund's performance

a comparative analysis of one company against a peer group with similar characteristics to identify variances from the peer group in cost and practices, identifying improvements

a comparative analysis of one company, department or organizaiton against a peer group which similar characteristics

a comparative standard for evaluating accomplishments against known exemplars of excellence

a designated standard of performance

a detailed description of a specific level of student achievement expected of students at particular ages, grades or developmental levels

a documented procedure that will measure the time needed by a computer system to execute a well-defined computing task

a frame of reference, a context and a standard that allows us to check whether the performance has been good or bad

a job that is commonly found and defined, used to make pay comparisons, either within the organization or to comparable jobs outside the organization

a level of performance, reflecting an area of practice (in this case, educational practice) that potential consumers, customers, or others use to determine the quality of a product, service, or educational institution

a marketplace point of reference, and as such, it need not be perfect in order to be considered in a rate setting proceeding

a measure of performance, and as part of a diagnostic it allows a degree of analysis beyond what is possible with a pass/fail result

a monument that is part of a leveling network and is a point of precisely measured elevation

an important reference value that is used to compare own investments or to measure the performance of investment funds (e

an index used to compare risk and performance to a managed portfolio

a performance test of hardware and/or software

a point of known or assumed elevation

a point of reference for a measurement

a point of reference or a criterion of quality

a program that lets you measure how fast some part of your computer is

a program that performs the same operations on different devices, measures execution time and compares the results

a program that tests your computer's hardware capabilities and then gives you a score based on how well your computer did

a program used to evaluate the performance of a device and provide some basis for comparing one with another

a regimented test measuring a metric attribute

a relatively permanent material object, natural or artificial, bearing a marked point whose elevation above or below an adopted datum is known

a set of tests used to compare the performance of alternative tools, methods, or techniques

a "specified standard" or "measure of quality

a stage that measures or denotes significant and fundamental accomplishment and achievement

a standard by which the performance of hardware or software is measured

a standard of excellence or achievement used to compare and measure similar things

a standard of measurement for mutual fund performance

a standard of measurement or evaluation

a standard or point of reference used to measure quality of value

a standard that is not entirely objective due to the possible bias of the individual who developed the test or to the equipment settings determined by the tester

a standard that provides a measuring-stick for relative performance

a "STANDARD TO MEASURE OR JUDGE SOMETHING"

a standard unit for the basis of comparison

a standard used by an organization to measure its performance

a target of performance which is based on an industry standard or in the absence of a standard, on proven historical trends or comparative data

a task designed such that a measure of performance on this particular task will be a good proxy for performance across a wide variety of tasks

a test program that can be used as a yard stick for measuring the average performance of a computer system

a test used to measure hardware or software performance--namely by its speed)

a way of comparing two or more things numerically

a workload that has been standardized to allow comparisons among dissimilar systems

a yardstick for comparision

A permanent marker embedded in a fixed and enduring natural or artificial object, indicating a precisely determined elevation above or below a standard datum (usually sea level) and bearing identifying information, and used as a reference in topographic surveys.

A performance monitoring standard that allows a community to periodically measure the extent to which the goals and policies of its comprehensive plan are met.

A test or set of tests designed to compare the performance of hardware or software. A popular set of benchmarks for PC hardware is the Ziff Davis Media benchmarks, which you can download from http://www.zdnet.com.  Make sure that you check that the benchmark tools are the correct ones for your particular operating system BEFORE you download them

A baseline metric that is used when measuring future performance.

The investment performance of the scheme needs to be compared in relative terms against some indicator, which is called as the benchmark for the scheme. For example, the performance of an equity fund be benchmarked against the BSE Sensex.

A statement that describes the application of knowledge or skills necessry to meet a standard at a grade level in a specific subject.

A standard unit used as the basis of comparison; a universal unit that is identified with sufficient detail so that other similar classifications can be compared as being above, below, or comparable to the benchmark.

A bond whose terms are used for comparison with other bonds of similar maturity. The global financial market typically looks to U.S Treasury securities as benchmarks.

Benchmarks act as a guide or objective for performance of an investment fund.

are indicators against which the relative performance and/or risk of a portfolio can be measured.

A custom or published index of a predetermined set of securities used to compare performance and risk. For example, a fund that invests in US equities could be 'benchmarked' against the S&P 500 Index, which gives a broad indication of the overall performance of US equities as a whole.

Reference parameter, e.g. a share index or a representative bond price or yield, used to help gauge the performance of an investment or a portfolio.

Benchmark is the process which standard computer uses programs or procedures to test the efficiency, accuracy and completeness of software applications.

A standard against which rates of return can be measured, such as stock and bond market indexes developed by stock exchanges and investment dealers.

Statements of major milestones for learning for each of the Sunshine State Standards. For the academic subject areas, benchmarks are stated at four grade level clusters: Prekindergarten to Grade 2, Grades 3-5, Grades 6-8, and Grades 9-12. For special diploma standards, benchmarks are stated at three levels of proficiency: Independent, Supported, and Participatory.

An indicator which allows you to measure the impact or success of a project by comparing it against something similar, e.g. comparing the number of people completing a training course with another similar course in a similar area.

Used to define how comparisons are to be made between different computer software or systems according to specific requirements; or, in surveying, a benchmark is the elevation at a specific point.

individual programs or a mixture of programs that are run in a target computer to measure the overall performance of the system, or to measure more specific aspects of the performance, such as graphics applications, I/O processing, etc.

A standard comparison, typically an index used to compare an investment with the broad market

Benchmarks are a standard point of reference against which progress can be assessed.

The performance of a predetermined set of securities, for comparison purposes. Benchmarks may be based on published indexes or be customized to suit an investment strategy. (Also see Security and Index.)

A detailed description of a specific level of performance expected from students at particular developmental levels. A set of benchmarks can be used as checkpoints to monitor progress toward meeting learning goals. Term originated in the business sector, where benchmarking is an ongoing, systematic process of improving internal activities by comparing them against an external standard.

A series of exercises which may be given to a software company by a prospective GIS purchaser, in order to see how well the particular software can perform a range of tasks.

An index or model portfolio that is used as a standard against which the performance of an investment manager or investment portfolio is measured.

an exemplary object of comparison, a level of comparison for results

A standard for comparing results with other states or like entities. For example, regional or fifty-state averages, "top ten" ratings or nationally recommended performance levels. In the absence of appropriate comparables, the result in a prior "starting point" year or recent multi-year averages could be used.

A parameter with which some thing can be compared with. For example, the performance of an equity scheme can be benchmarked against the BSE Sensex. In this case, the BSE Sensex will be known as the benchmark index.

Reference point or standard against which performance or achievements can be compared. A benchmark might refer to what has been achieved in the past, by other comparable organisations, or what could reasonably have been achieved under the circumstances.

Reference or measurement standard used for comparison.

A standard against which past or future performance can be compared. Benchmarking traditionally focuses on measuring products, services, or practices against the "best practice" in an industry or field (i.e., best in class or world). More broadly, benchmarks also could include previous objectives, previews years' performance, performance levels achieved by other organizations such as other states or a national or regional average or ranking, statutory requirement or professional standards.

A stock market index such as the FTSE All Share which is used by a fund manager to compare their fund's performance against.

A parameter with which a scheme can be compared. For example, the performance of a scheme can be benchmarked against an appropriate index.

Yardstick against which the performance of a portfolio is measured. Allows investors to compare different funds. The benchmarks the LGT funds are compared against are solely used as a means of performance comparison; the majority of the LGT funds are not index-oriented.

A standard for measuring or judging performance within a discipline or on a task.

This is one target against which investment fund performance can be measured. A benchmark, usually stipulated at the outset of an investment process, can be a stockmarket index or a peer group. Many fund managers aim to beat their benchmark by one or two percentage points every year. To do so, they tend to construct a portfolio that is generally in line with their benchmark, i.e. stock or country weightings will reflect those of the chosen benchmark. To add value, fund managers will then over or underweight assets relative to the benchmark.

A specific measure of progress toward the Core Results.

A permanent mark or point established for reference use by surveyors to measure differences in elevation to determine the legal description of property boundaries.

Standard professional labour requirement likely to be required to meet identified objectives (Ridoutt et al, 2002).

Level of performance that is expected in a given subject, in a given grade. A benchmark is usually a set measurement point used to assess whether students are progressing toward a specific goal

A performance comparator used to determine the relative rate of increase/decrease in a market or security. A benchmark is often a target against which investment performance is measured.

Literally, the 'before' results in a 'before and after' study. For example, can be applied to studies in advance of an advertising campaign to assess the image of a company, in terms of brand awareness, product quality, delivery, service, etc., and for subse­quent comparison.

A measure against which performance of the debt manager can be compared, which can take into account a variety of factors including cost, risk, portfolio structure and time horizon, for example. In order to create a benchmark, each component input has to be defined (such as cost and risk) in order for its neutral level to be determined. The debt manager then seeks to match (benchmark neutral) or outperform the benchmark, usually in regard to cost and risk although other targets can be specified (such as increasing the maturity of the debt portfolio)

A standard used for comparative purposes in assessing investment performance.

Representative examples of the expected level of performance including a scoring scale; also called anchors or exemplars.

(see also Performance Goal, Performance Measure): A level of achievement of a performance goal that generally represents an industry-best standard.

A market measurement, such as an index, which is used by fund managers and investors as a guide to assess the risk and performance of a given investment or portfolio.

A standard used by investors to compare performance. For instance, a large-cap growth mutual fund may use the S&P 500 performance as its benchmark.

marker in the ground indicating the exact elevation above sea level

In the context of outcomes and performance discussion, the term refers to desired program results. It may include a target or standard for the program to achieve. It is also used to denote best practices.

beta test

A reference figure, usually for the measurement of performance.

(1) A permanent reference point.(2) In range inventory, it is used as a point where changes in vegetation through time are measured.(3) In soils, it is used to designate a major soil series that is representative of similar soils.(4) In economics, data that are used as a base for comparative purposes with similar data.(5) A surveyor's mark made on a permanent landmark that has known position and altitude.

A standard or guideline to which other items or processes can be compared.

A reference point that is chosen for the purposes of comparing other related values.

The method by which the investment portfolio is to be measured.

Software run on a computer system to measure its performance under specific operating conditions.

A standard — typically an index such as the Standard and Poor's 500 — against which investors compare the performance of a mutual fund or other investment.

Something that serves as a standard by which programs and/or activities may be measured or judged.

A measurement or standard that serves as a point of reference by which process performance is measured. [GAO] Benchmarking is a structured approach for identifying the best practices from industry and government, and comparing and adapting them to the organization's operations. Such an approach is aimed at identifying more efficient and effective processes for achieving intended results, and suggesting ambitious goals for program output, product/service quality, and process improvement. [GAO

Is the standard to measure, monitor, price or evaluate a security or derivative. The treasury market is the benchmark for the corporate, mortgage backed, international and emerging credit markets. Here, securities are priced in terms of yield pickup relative to a comparable treasury. This comparability is often in terms of maturity though duration or average life become more meaningful for securities which have option characteristics.

A standardized task to test the capabilities of various devices or organizations against each other for performance.

processes and results that represent best practices and performance for similar activities inside or outside the school. Benchmarking is the process of identifying, understanding, and adapting outstanding practices from organizations anywhere in the world to help an organization improve its performance (APQC)

A reference from which measurements may be made.

the standard of excellence.

an index or other market measurement that is used by an investment manager as a standard against which to assess the risk and performance of a portfolio.

A specific description of the skills and knowledge a student should have at a certain grade level: used to measure a student's progress in meeting academic standards

Index used as a reference in comparing/analysing the performance of a portfolio.

reference index to measure the performance.

This is a standard by which one investment can be compared to another.

The market index, competitor return or absolute performance against which a client measures an investment manager's performance.

A fixed point of reference used as a standard for comparison. It is an outstanding example appropriate for use as a model. Also, a standardized test used as a basis to evaluate and compare the performance of computers and peripheral devices and components.

The point of reference (usually an index or another portfolio) against which performance is measured. The active manager looks to significantly out-perform the returns of a benchmark.

A benchmark is a commonly accepted measure of the performance of a group of investments. For example, many funds use the FTSE All-Share as a benchmark of the UK stock market's performance either to beat or track depending on whether they are an active or passive fund.

A bond market benchmark is an index such as the Lehman Brothers Aggregate Bond Index, whose change in value is viewed as an indicator of the direction of the bond market or a bond market sector and, as such, against which you may measure the performance of your bonds or bond funds.

A stock market benchmark is an index or average whose movement is considered a general indicator of the direction of the overall market and against which investors and financial professionals may measure the performance of individual stocks or market sectors. There are also benchmarks for other types of investments, such as bonds, mutual funds, and commodities.

A standard used for comparison. Common benchmarks include the S&P 500, Barra Growth, Barra Value, Russell 1000, Russell 100 Growth, Russell 1000 Value, Lehman Government/Credit Index, Merrill 1-3 Year Government, and many more.

assessment of performance according to standard measures

A specific area of expertise within a curriculum standard

A standard index used for measuring the performance of an investment. The goal of most money managers and investors is to outperform their respective benchmark.

A test used to compare performance of hardware and/or software.

a standard or reference point for measuring achievement and performance levels; this may represent a current, desired, or average level.

A test that has been designed to evaluate the performance of a system. In a benchmark test, a system is subjected to a known workload and the performance of the system against this workload is measured. Typically, the purpose is to compare the measured performance with that of other systems that have been subject to the same benchmark test.

A reference index that serves as a basis for performance comparison.

Reference point or standard against which performance or achievements can be assessed (DAC).

a point of reference from which a measurement can be made; typically an index of securities; the most common benchmark by which equity managers are measured in the United States is the S&P 500

A reference number by which something can be measured.

(1) An intermediate target to measure progress in a given period using a certain indicator. (2) A reference point or standard against which to compare performance or achievements.

An index or other market measuring system which is used to assess the performance/risk of an investment portfolio.

A standard against which measurements or comparisons can be made.

standard by which something can be measure d or judged. [D04918] Webster

It is the platform or the parameter with which a scheme can be compared. For example, the performance of an index fund can be benchmarked against the appropriate index specified by it.

The best performance now achieved. Compare yourself to the best not the average To improve the most.

A bond, frequently the most recent, sizable issue, whose terms set a standard for the market. The benchmark bond usually has the greatest liquidity, the highest turnover, and is the most frequently quoted. In certain markets (e.g., the Japanese), there is a seasoning period during which the bond is not the benchmark.

an example of good practice that can serve as a basis for comparison.

a set of conditions against which a product or system is measured.

The performance of a predetermined set of securities, used for comparison purposes (e.g. the S&P 500 Index for the overall stock market). Mutual fund returns are compared to specific benchmarks to help investors evaluate their performance.

A permanent reference mark or point established for use by surveyors in measuring differences in elevation.

A permanent feature on land which is used as a point of reference for a land surveyor.

A fixed point of reference or a standard for comparison and used to achieve excellence within the manufacturing firm. An outstanding example, appropriate for use as a model.

A point of reference from which measurement can be made. As used with Bureau of Labor Statistics data, information from a “better” source or period, which is used to adjust data obtained from another source or period.

An agreed workload used as a standard against which to compare the performance of different hardware/software. For a benchmark to be useful it needs to be a public standard. IBM, naturally, has its own proprietary (and hence farcical) standards, the best known of which is RAMP-C. Other benchmarks frequently cited for IBM machines include LINPAK, Gibson Mix, ET-1, Debit-Credit, Dhrystone, RPMark, and the TPC family.

Measurement and evaluation of process features and performance against those of competitors and recognized leaders.

Index which serves as a means of measuring a fund's performance. Benchmarks enable investors to compare the performance of different fund managers and to make a balanced, objective judgement.

A marked point of known elevation from which other elevations may be established.

For particular indicator or performance goal, the industry measure of best performance. The benchmarking process identifies the best performance in the industry (healthcare or non-healthcare) for a particular process or outcome, determines how that performance is achieved, and applies the lessons learned to improve performance.

A standard, or something that serves as a standard by which others may be measured or judged.

The performance of a predetermined set of securities, used for comparison purposes. Such sets may be based on published indexes or may be customized to suit an investment strategy.

A standard or point of reference for measuring and analyzing existing or proposed curricula in the light of content specific goals/standards. Benchmarks often are used in conjunction with standards.

Standard point of reference used to define progress, improvement, or change.

A way to tell how fast the various subsystems, and your computer as a whole, performs.

An important or memorable count or measure that can be used to evaluate the reasonableness of other counts or measures.

1) an outcome with a specific target for achievement. Benchmarks are often time-bound (e.g., achieve 100% compliance within two years); 2) a standard based on the performance of another organization or group of organizations (comparison typically made with organizations having similar characteristics and/or demographics).

Statement that provides a description of student knowledge expected at specific grades, ages, or developmental levels. Benchmarks often are used in conjunction with standards. (See standards.)

A standard used as a comparison

An index or other standard used to compare the relative performance of a mutual fund.

An unmanaged group of securities whose overall performance is used as a standard to measure investment performance.

In an investment context most likely to mean a performance benchmark or a benchmark price.... more on Benchmark

An index or other market measurement which is used by a fund manager as a yardstick to assess the risk and performance of a portfolio.

A benchmark is a standard or guideline used to compare some aspect of a business to some objective or external standard measure.

A test program used to compare relative performance between computer systems, devices or software packages.

A standard of performance that serves as point of reference by which other organizations or individuals may be measured. Benchmarks describe the results of the best-performing organizations within an industry

A standard to which similar products can be tested for the purpose of comparison.

These are geodetic control points are permanently affixed objects at various locations all over the United States to enable land surveying, civil engineering and mapping to be done efficiently. These objects are usually metal disks, but can be any other object that serves as a control point. See benchmark hunting for more specific details.

In assessment, a level of performance used as a checkpoint to monitor progress towards performance goals and/or achievement of learning outcomes or standards. Source: Ebel, R.L. & Frisbie, D.A. (1986) Essentials of Educational Measurement, 4th edn, Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.

An achievement that is a recognized and measurable standard of excellence.

Term frequently used in compensation to refer to a job, or group of jobs, used to make pay comparisons with comparable jobs outside the organization.

the index (or indexes in the case of a fund which holds multiple asset classes) a mutual fund uses for performance comparison; the benchmark should accurately reflect the investment style of the fund

A predetermined set of securities based on published indices or customized to suit an investment strategy to be used for performance comparison.

a neutral or passive investment strategy which can be easily monitored to compare against actual performance.

A standard by which something can be measured or judged.

A standard of reference used for comparison. The performance of a learner is measured against a benchmark such as the performance of an expert. The performance of a technology-based training product is measured against a benchmark such as the training procedures it replaces.

routine or program used to evaluate computer performance.

A standardized program (or suite of programs) that is run to measure the performance of one computer against the performance of other computers running the same program.

Measurement which indicates the efficiency of an undertaking or operating process.

A permanently affixed mark that establishes the exact elevation of a place; used by surveyors in measuring site elevations, or as a starting point for surveys.

Objective parameter of financial investment which can also be represented by the most well known indexes (MIB30, Dow Jones, etc.) or by other indexes considered representative of the investment's risk/performance profile.

A measure used for comparison of investment returns over a period of time.

a standardized problem or test case that serves as a basis for evaluation or comparison (Merriam-Webster 2004) Examples: see examples under Baseline Comments: The terms Benchmark and Baseline are often used interchangeably.

A standard against which risk and return investment performance can be evaluated. Widely used equity performance benchmarks are the total return of the S&P500, the Russell3000, and the MSCI EAFE Index. Different benchmarks are used for evaluating different asset classes or styles of investing.

Test of performance of a computer or peripheral device. While benchmarks can offer seemingly objective tests of performance, the best test is to use the computer or peripheral with the applications and files you will actually be using.

A market index used by individual investors, portfolio managers, and market researchers to determine how a particular market or market sector performs.

an instrument or portfolio of instruments against which the performance of a similar investment or borrowing can be measured. For example, the QTC Cash Fund is measured against a benchmark comprised of short-term bank bills

The performance of a financial instrument used as a reference to compare the performances of similar instruments. To measure performance in this way you need a benchmark relative to an index. The most suitable one is an index for the actual market in which the fund invests. This provides an objective tool for addressing the fund managerâ€(tm)s performance. Examples of indexâ€(tm)s are the S&P 500, NASDAQ 100, or the Dow Jones Industrial index.

is a relative measure of the performance of a digital signal processor in a particular application.

A measure that helps quantify the achievement of a result, outcome or goal; performance data that are used for comparative purposes (against a baseline, a target, or the experiences of others) Synonym: indicator CSSP Guide 6 p 21Source web site UWA Outcome Measurement Resource Network, Measuring Program Outcomes: A Practical Approach, Glossary See below for ordering information.

Historically, a term referred to as a standardized task to test the capabilities of devices against each other. In quality terms, benchmarking is comparing products, services and processes with those of other organizations, to identify new ideas and improvement opportunities.

A mark affixed to a permanent reference or monument, such as an iron post or a brass marker (usually embedded in a cement sidewalk), used to establish elevations and altitudes over a surveyed area.

a standard used for comparison of investment returns (ex: S&P 500 index)

A point of reference used as a basis for evaluation or comparison. An can be used as a benchmark against which the performance of a portfolio of assets can be measured or compared.

Points of reference from which change can be measured

a quantified target; a standard or point of reference against which things may be compared or assessed

A control source against which you compare the area you're studying. For example, you may compare the results of a study in one state to the results of the nation as a whole.

A detailed description of a specific level of student performance expected of students at particular ages, grades, or development levels. Benchmarks are often represented by samples of student work. A set of benchmarks can be used as "checkpoints" to monitor progress toward meeting performance goals within and across grade levels, i.e., benchmarks for expected mathematics capabilities at Grades 3, 7, ten, 10 graduation.

Control data or factors used to compare against.

A test that attempts to quantify hardware or software performance-usually in terms of speed, reliability, or accuracy. One of the major problems in determining per formance is deciding which of the ... more

A reference against which measurements may be evaluated, for instance, a runoff- measuring station established as representative or typical of a hydrologic region to provide a continuing series of hydrological observations that are relatively uninfluenced by past or future artificial changes.

A benchmark translates the standard into what the student should know and be able to do at developmentally appropriate levels. Benchmarks are models that teachers, parents, and students can refer to when designing, implementing, and assessing student outcomes.

A standard against which we can compare the performance of an investment. For example a UK stock market fund's benchmark would typically be the performance of the FTSE All-Share.

A market measurement that is used as a comparative tool or yardstick for assessing the performance and risk of a portfolio.

Usually represents the minimum performance objective for an investment portfolio.

For a mutual fund, it is the index used to compare the fund's performance with the broader market. This index is an unmanaged group composed of either stocks or bonds, which tracks the performance of those securities (another name for a stock or bond is a "security"). Generally, a mutual fund will compare its performance with a broad-based index, which is an index composed of securities from a variety of industries. If a mutual fund is focused on a particular sector or industry, it may use an index focused on that sector as one of its benchmarks.A mutual fund can compare its performance to more than one index. A fund's benchmarks are listed in its prospectus. It is not possible to invest directly in an index.

(1) A technique to establish a point of reference from which tests can be made and guidelines determined for the existing performance of a process; for example, the use of a program to rate the performance of a computer. (2) A technique to evaluate your performance in specific areas when compared to recognized leaders. You may be comparing yourself to competitors or similar processes and functions at other geographic locations within your organization.

An index that serves as a standard against which the performance of a fund or portfolio is measured. For example, a stock fund may be compared with the S&P500 Index to assess how it performs over time, versus this benchmark. In the same way, a bond fund may be compared to a fixed income index, such as the Lehman U.S. Aggregate Index, or iBoxx € Corporates Index.

A permanent reference mark made on a piece of property for the sake of surveyors

Key checkpoints at the end of a grade-band that monitor progress toward academic content standards.

A program designed to test the relative performance of computers of different architectures, or of different implementations of an architecture. The combination of a rigorously specified workload and a method of quantifying the performance of a system when processing that workload. The performance metric is usually derived from the time required to process the workload.

A standard test which is run on a computer, a peripheral device, or a program to give a measure of its performance.Benchmarks are criticized because they can be misleading.The best test of a computer's performance is to test a computer with the exact configuration and doing the same tasks the user intends to do.Many computer magazines put new machines through a series of benchmark tests and compare them.

A surveyor's mark made on some stationary object of previously determined position and elevation, and used as a reference point in surveys.

A standard against which the performance of a fund or investment can be measured.

A measure against which performance of an investment (fund) is to be judged.