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PSY A473 Psychological Testing

APA: Testing & Assessment

For more information about psychological and educational testing, check out these American Psychological Association web pages:

http://www.apa.org/science/testing.html

https://www.apa.org/science/programs/testing/find-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

Introduction to Finding Tests

 

  • Finding specific tests and measurements can be challenging. In some cases, you will find only a description or review of the test and not the test itself.
  • Not all tests are readily available. In order to obtain and administer many published* psychological tests (commercial tests), one must be a licensed professional or meet certain criteria; also, many published tests are only available through purchase. Occasionally a publisher will provide tests to researchers for free if you (and your professor) write a letter explaining why you want a copy.
  • Non-published** or non-commercial tests may be obtained more easily.  They can appear in books, journal articles, or in other sources.  Identifying and locating them may take some time and patience.  
  • In brief, there is no quick, easy, one-stop shop, guaranteed way of finding a tests and measures.  Finding them requires looking in several different print and/or electronic sources.  
  • Guides on selecting measurement instruments can be helpful.  Here's a recent one:

Selecting and Describing Your Research Instruments
McClure, Kelly S.
American Psychological Association, 2020
Full Text Available Online

 


*Published: Widely-used tests with established validity, reliability and norms (e.g., standardized tests); usually commercially published and must be ordered or purchased from a publisher.

**Non-published: Non-commercial tests that have been developed or modified for controlled research studies.  Some may have established validity and reliability, some may not. Sometimes printed in articles or books.

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