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Tests & Measurement Instruments

The Tests and Measurement Instruments guide provides links to reliable database and web resources.

The American Psychological Association

The American Psychological Association offers resources to help you find and access psychological tests.

 

Sample Subject Headings

Tests for Certain Characteristics/Situations

  • ability--testing
  • aggressiveness (psychology)--testing
  • anxiety--testing
  • aptitude tests
  • attitude (psychology)--testing
  • death--psychological aspects--testing
  • educational tests and measures
  • intelligence tests
  • love--testing
  • mental illness--diagnosis
  • personality assessment
  • personality tests
  • psychological tests
  • psychometrics
  • reading--ability testing
  • rorschach test
  • stress (psychology)--testing
  • substance abuse detection
  • testing
  • validity
  • vocational interests--testing
  • work environments--testing

Reviews & Summary Information

The references below provide information about tests, but not the tests themselves. Use these sources to find information about tests on your topic, then look for the tests themselves in books or in databases.  The following sources are the most widely used and authoritative:

A. Buros’ Sources:

Mental Measurements Yearbooks (MMY) - REF BF 176 .M46

The Mental Measurements Yearbooks provide descriptions, critical reviews, and references for thousands of tests dating from over 60 years ago to the present.  They can be found in the Reference Collection at the Consortium Library.
https://marketplace.unl.edu/buros/ 
While the Buros website does not offer free reviews, you can use it to narrow down which Mental Measurement Yearbook to look in for a review.  Go to the website (which is set for the 'Test Reviews Online' web page).  You can now search on a test title or keyword.  As an example, search on phobia.  Several results (and prices) come up, so you know there are reviews.  Click on a result, scroll to the bottom of the Details section, and note where it says 'Reviewed in' - that's where it will tell you which MMY volume to look in for the review.  In my result, the review is in the 15th MMY, so I would leave the computer, go to the Reference Collection, find the 15th MMY at the call number above, and use its test title index in the back to find the review.

Tests in Print (TIP) – REF BF196 .B89
TIP contains information on published, commercially-available tests that are in print and available for purchase.  It has several indexes, including title (name of test), author, and score. The score index is very useful and allows one to look up tests by variable, such as Depression, Likability, Social Interaction, etc.  Newer editions of TIP do not supersede older editions, but supplement and expand on them.

·    covers wide range of tests across psychology, education, and achievement

·    does not offer critical reviews of the tests or psychometric information

·    how do I use it?

 http://www.unl.edu/buros/bimm/html/guides.html

B. Other Sources:

Center for Equity and Excellence in Education (CEEE) Database

A collection of abstracts and descriptions of almost 200 tests commonly used with "Limited English Proficient" students.  Produced at George Washington University.

A 4-volume set of 121 edited chapters discussing individual assessment instruments and/or approaches to an assessment topic. References are provided for each chapter.

Provides information about tests and measures used in recent studies. Usually provides the following information:

·   test name and purpose

·   number of items (questions) the test contains

·   format

·   author

·   reliability and validity (in most cases)

·   title of the article and journal in which the test was used and MAY be included

Other Sources with Information About Tests

Handbook of Research Design & Social Measurement (6th ed. )- H62 .M44 2002


Handbook of Family Measurement Techniques - HQ728 .T68 1990


Test Critiques - REF BF176 .T418
 Designed to be a companion to Tests (above) and contains supplemental information, including psychometric information such as reliability, validity, and norm development. Each entry offers a detailed introduction, plus sections on Practical Applications/Uses and Technical Aspects, followed by a critique.  The most recent volume has an index to the entire set.

 Contains information on thousands of tests in English. Provides concise descriptions of tests, plus test title, author, intended population, test's purpose, major features, administration time, scoring method, cost and availability, and keys to indicate whether the test is self- or examiner-administered.

Tests are arranged alphabetically in three sub-sections: Psychology, Education, Business - no subject index.  See the Table of Contents to find groups of tests by topic. (For example, Stress, Anxiety, and Biofeedback, p. 7) 


 

Tests: A Comprehensive Reference for Assessments in Psychology and Business -
REF BF176 .T43 2003

 


 

Directory of Unpublished Experimental Mental Measures - REF BF431 .G625  
(American Psychological Association) 

 

 


 

Comprehensive Handbook of Psychological Assessment - REF BF176 .C654 2004