Western Governors University (WGU) ICSC2211 D684 Introduction to Computer Science Practice Test

The reference parameter is correctly described by stating that it passes the address of the argument to the function. This method allows the function to access and modify the original variable's value directly, rather than working with a copy of it. When a reference parameter is used, any changes made to the parameter within the function will reflect back on the argument passed in. This is particularly useful in scenarios where you want a function to have the capability to modify the original data or to save memory by not creating additional copies of large data structures.

In contrast, the other options do not accurately portray the behavior of reference parameters. For instance, copying the value of the argument refers to how value parameters function, which do not allow modifications to the original variable. Creating a new variable inside the function suggests that the function works independently of the input argument, which does not apply to reference parameters since they are closely tied to the original variable. The statement about being used only for return values implies a limited use of reference parameters, whereas their main advantage is in modifying input variables.