Which of the following describes the mode in a dataset?

The mode in a dataset is defined as the score that occurs most frequently. It is a measure of central tendency that identifies the most common value or values in a given set of data. This measure is particularly useful in datasets where the most frequent item is of interest, such as in surveys where you're looking for the most common response.

In contrast, the average of all scores refers to the mean, which is calculated by summing all the values and dividing by the number of values. The middle score when ordered describes the median, which is the value that separates the higher half from the lower half of the dataset. The highest score in the distribution simply identifies the maximum value and is not a measure of central tendency. Therefore, option B accurately captures the definition of the mode, making it the correct answer.