Educational Tests & Measurements  Tags: education educational_tests educational_assessment measurements instruments  

How tests are published:

This Tests FAQ from APA explains in detail the issues with locating tests and measurements.

In a nutshell:

- If the test is unpublished then you can try accessing it through the resources described in this guide.

Tests and measurements may be available in the Tests in Microfiche set, or in journal articles, books, ERIC documents, dissertations, etc. 

You can also try searching Tests and Measures in the Social Sciences: Tests Available in Compilation Volumes.  Once you identify the name of the book, check the library catalog to see if we own the book.  If we don't own the book, try the WRLC catalog and request the book from a WRLC library.

- If the test is published and commercially available, then you will need to purchase the test through the publisher. 

Information on how to purchase commercially available tests is listed in the Mental Measurements Yearbook.  You can also try the publisher's Web site (if one exists).

The library does not have a test collection.

For more background information on how tests are published see the APA's FAQ on Finding Information About Psychological Tests.

For tips on finding tests in Psychology see:  Psychology:  Tests and Measurements

For tips on finding tests in the Health Sciences see:  Nursing Test Resources

Tests and Measurements Databases:

Mental Measurements Yearbook (Ovid)

Online database of the 9th through the 17th Yearbooks (1989 - current).  Contains in-depth review of the test, instrument or scale, providing a substantial amount of information.  Does not contain the actual test. 

Using a Mental Measurements Yearbook Review to Evaluate a Test

TestLink: The Test Collection at ETS

An index to tests in the ETS collection.  Test call number corresponds to how Tests in Microfiche is arranged. Contains descriptions of over 20,000 tests and other measurement devices dating from the early 1900s to the present.  Does not contain the actual test.  The test must be retrieved from Tests in Microfiche.  Detailed instructions for using Tests in Microfiche.

HaPI: Health & PsychoSocial Instruments database (OVID)

From the Behavioral Measurement Database Service, 1985 - present.  HaPI focuses on medical measurement instruments, but it does present tests used in medically related disciplines such as psychology, social work, speech and hearing therapy, etc.  Does not include a copy of the test.

Testing & Education Reference Center (Peterson's)

Test guides and online practice tests for college and graduate admissions exams such as GRE, GMAT, LSAT, MCAT and MAT, TOEFL, civil service and military entrance exams, and licensing tests for nursing, real estate, and other fields.

The databases listed below will include articles about tests and some may even include copies of the test or instrument.

ERIC (EBSCO)

Tips for finding tests and articles about tests in ERIC:

Option 1.)  Type in the keyword for the type of test you are trying to find, for example, reading.  Next, scroll below the search boxes and limit your search using - Publication Type: Tests/Questionnaires.

Option 2.)  You may be able to find articles about a specific instrument by typing its name in the ERIC keyword search box.

Option 3.)  You may also search for tests and measurements by entering information in the keyword search boxes and then add the keyword appended:

For example: (test OR assessment OR scale OR questionnaire OR measure OR survey) AND [your topic] AND appended

Using the keyword APPENDED will look for articles and documents that may have copies of the instrument attached.

Browse through a list of ERIC Documents containing assessment instruments (Helen Hough, University of Texas)

PsycINFO  

Try the keyword searches suggested for ERIC.  PsycINFO also uses the term "appended" for locating tests and measurements included in a  publication's appendix.  The PsycINFO database does not have a publication type limit for tests.

Tests and Measures in the Social Sciences: Tests Available in Compilation Volumes  (Helen Hough, University of Texas)

E-Journals:

Educational and Psychological Measurement  (1941 - present)  In-depth, scholarly research articles on testing and measurement in education, psychology, industry, and government.

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