Tests & Measurements

Best Bets

Health and Psychosocial Instruments (HAPI) Database

HAPI Tips

You have more search options if you click the "More Fields" link. You can also search the index from this page, which is helpful in determining keywords to use in your search.

HAPI does not provide the actual tests, it is only a guide to help you determine what test you would like to use.

Mental Measurements Yearbooks

MMY Tips

Use the advanced search feature to combine search terms and specify where the terms are located (e.g. citation vs. full-text).

Use the index to locate specific terms within the database.  Searchable by test author or name, publisher and much more.

Other Databases to Try

Some journal articles include full tests/measurements in their content.  This is another way to search for tests/measurements and their uses in practice.

CINAHL Plus Database

CINAHL Plus Tip

In CINAHL, you can do an advanced search for tests and measures by choosing to limit the publication type to "research instrument".  This will help narrow down the hits you receive.

PsycINFO Database

PsycINFO Tips

PsycINFO's advanced search feature has a dropdown box with the term "Tests and Measures" (TM) which will help you locate articles that include tests or discuss tests and measures in a significant way.

Search with the term "measurement" in the PsycINFO thesaurus to browse various subsets of tests and measures terms to use for your search.

There is also a tutorial to walk you through using PsycINFO for finding tests and measures.

PubMed

PubMed Tips

PubMed is most useful for tests and measures if looking for articles that discuss the use of certain measurement instruments.

Occasionally, articles will include full copies of tests as an appendix. While this is okay for your personal use, obtaining permission for widespread use is needed.

Sociological Abstracts

Sociological Abstracts Tip

If you search the thesaurus for "measures" you will get a myriad of related and narrower terms that will be useful in your search for testing materials.

American Psychological Association

Buros Center for Testing

CIMC Guide to Tests and Measures

ETS Test Collection

Pearson Assessments

PROQOLID: Patient-Reported Outcome and Quality of Life Instruments Database

PRINT RESOURCES AVAILABLE ON CAMPUS

Note: To locate titles just click the name to get to the MadCat record.

Advanced Research Methodology: An Annotated Guide to Sources

A Compendium of Neuropsychological Tests: Administration, Norms, and Commentary

Comprehensive, Annotated Bibliography of Selected Psychological Tests: Interpersonal Checklist, MMPI Short Forms, the Blacky Pictures

Directory of Unpublished Experimental Mental Measurements
Provides a listing of experimental test instruments for use in the behavioral and social sciences. Does not provide evaluations. 

ETS Test Collection  Contains thousands of descriptions for achievement in vocational, special populations, cognitive, intelligence, attitude, and personality tests, some of which may be found in the ETS Tests in Microfiche collection.

Gender Roles: A Handbook of Tests and Measures

Handbook of Psychological and Educational Assessment of Children: Intelligence and Achievement. 2nd ed.

Measuring Disease: A Review of Disease-Specific Quality of Life Measurement Scales

Measurement Tools in Patient Education

Measures for Clinical Practice: A Sourcebook. 3rd ed.

Measures of Family Functioning for Research and Practice

Measures of Need and Outcome for Primary Health Care

Measuring Health: A Guide to Rating Scales and Questionnaires

Mental Measurements Yearbooks

MMPI-2: Assessing Personality and Psychopathology

Personality Tests and Reviews: Including an Index to The Mental Measurements Yearbook

Sex and Gender Issues: A Handbook of Tests and Measures

Test Critiques Includes supplemental psychometric information relating to reliability, validity, and normative development which was not included in Tests: A Comprehensive Reference for Assessments in Psychology, Education, and Business.

Tests: A Comprehensive Reference for Assessments in Psychology, Education, and Business.

Tests and Measurements in Child Development: Handbook II 

Tests in Print: An Index to Tests, Test Reviews, and the Literature on Specific Tests  Also serves as a classified index and supplement to the Mental Measurements Yearbook series

Definition

Tests and measurements are tools used by a variety of researchers and/or practitioners to obtain evaluations of variables relevant to their area of study/practice.  Example variables could be levels of depression or anxiety or the level of physical functioning of a patient. Tests and measurements can vary greatly in their configuration, as they can be oral, written, or just observational in nature.

How to Find a Test

Step 1. The first thing you need to do is determine what your needs are. Are you looking for a specific test? Do you need a test that measures a certain variable? Are you looking for reviews of a specific test? Are you trying to develop your own test?

Step 2. Identify what you are trying to measure. How are you defining the variable? Be sure that you have a variable that can be measured. Make sure the variable is the right scope for what you are doing; not too broad or too narrow.

Step 3. Identify measurement tools that meet the needs you've previously determined in steps one and two with the resources mentioned in this guide. Make sure the test is measuring the variable you've determined. Do you have the ability and/or instructions to administer this test? Does the test target the population you are working with? Does the test have good reliability and validity? Have you found positive reviews of this test? Is the test possible to obtain easily and/or inexpensively?

Don't Forget...

It is sometimes difficult to obtain the print versions of certain testing instruments. If it is not available through the CIMC or other resources you've consulted, you may have to order a copy which could take a significant amount of time. Generally, it should be assumed that tests are NOT going to be freely available.

Sometimes tests are copyrighted. If this is the case, you will have to obtain permission from the author in writing for the use of their test before making copies for your own use.  You can find contact information for authors from journal articles and from directories maintained by professional organizations like the APA.  If this fails, it is sometimes possible to get permission from the publisher of the test.  It is important to try and gain permission before using copyrighted materials.

Here are some search terms you will want to try when starting your search:

• Scale(s)
• Survey(s)
• Test(s)
• Measure(s)
• Measurement(s)
• Instrument(s)
• Questionnaire(s)
• Inventory or Inventories
• Rating scale
• Psychometrics
• Assessment
• Validity
• Statistical

It is important to check the thesaurus or index of the database you are searching to see what terms they use for tests and measurements.