Tests and Measures

If you are looking for a test or information about a test, PsycTESTs is great place to start. This pages provides strategies for locating tests and measures in other databases. 

Strategies you can use in most online databases include:

• Search for the name or title of a particular test, although this may lead you to articles and documents that talk about using the specified measure without actually providing the instrument itself. Enclose it in quotation marks, e.g., "revised children's manifest anxiety scale"
• You can use general measurement terms such as evaluate, assess, measure
• You can use terms for particular types of measures such as interviews, scales, self-assessment, questionnaire, inventory

In the "Advanced" search screen, you can select Tests/Questionnaires from the "Publication Type" limit options and then do a keyword or subject search.

This database does not provide any special limiting options to help you locate complete tests or measures included with articles. In the "Advanced" search screen, type your keywords into one text box (connected by AND) e.g., stress AND parent*. In another text box use some of the terms suggested above (connected by OR) e.g., test OR measure OR assess OR evaluate OR survey OR questionnaire.

To find articles with measures included, add the keyword appended to your search.
Example: parent* and stress and appended

PsycInfo also has a Tests & Measures field where you can specify the name of a test or other keyword to find articles that use a test in the methodology or where the test is being discussed. This is a good way to find information about tests and their use, but usually not the tests themselves. Here's an example:

• change the drop down menu option to the right of the text box to Tests & Measures
• put the name of a test or a keyword into the text box, eg. parent* and stress

In addition to keyswords or the name of a specific test, the following MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) may be helpful in locating articles that use tests and measures. Change the option in the drop-down menu beside the text entry box to MeSH Heading or MeSH Heading Phrase.

• questionnaires
• psychological tests
• psychometrics
• process assessment health care
• outcome and process assessment health care
• aptitutde tests
• language tests
• neuropsychological tests
• personality tests
• personality inventory
  

In the Advanced Search screen, change the drop-down menu option (to the right of the text entry box) to Publication Type and enter the term research instrument. Then add your keywords to another text box. You can also try the following Subject Headings to refine your search (change drop down menu to Word in Subject Heading).

• attitude measures
• questionnaires
• summated rating scaling
• self assessment
• self report
  
• psychological tests
• clincal assessment tools
• interviews

Go to the Advanced Search screen. In addition to your keywords, you can use any of the following terms that are appropriate; change the drop-down menu option to Descriptors.

• tests or intelligence tests or psychological tests or achievement tests
• measures or attitutde measures or personality measures
• surveys or mail surveys
• questionnaires
• scales
• interviews