Existing cross-section data for 1p-shell knockout in the reaction 12 C(e, e ′ p) 11 B -as obtained under different kinematic conditions -are shown to be mutually consistent, apart from a recent measurement performed in Mainz. New data have been collected at the Amsterdam Pulse Stretcher that confirm the normalization of the older measurements. An analysis of the world's 12 C(e, e ′ p) 11 B data has yielded precise values of the spectroscopic factor for 1p-shell and 1s-shell knockout from 12 C. These values have been used to evaluate the transparency of the 12 C nucleus for 1p-shell and 1s-shell protons separately on the basis of recent high-energy 12 C(e, e ′ p) 11 B data taken at a four-momentum transfer squared Q 2 of 1.1 (GeV/c) 2 . As the resulting average value of the nuclear transparency, 0.81 ± 0.04, is considerably higher than the value obtained from previous analyses and theoretical estimates, the high Q 2 data were used instead for an independent determination of the spectroscopic strength for 1p + 1s knockout. Combining these results with the low Q 2 data the spectroscopic factors appear to be momentum-transfer dependent. Possible explanations of these surprising results in terms of reaction-mechanism effects or a possible breakdown of the quasi-particle concept at high Q 2 are discussed as well.PACS number(s): 21.10. Jx, 21.30.Fe, 24.10.Ht, 27.20.+n