Psychology

IMPORTANT:

• If you wish to alter or customize an original test, scale, or measurement instrument for your research or publication (thesis, dissertation, journal article, or book), you must first seek permission to do so from the test author or copyright holder.  
• Merely citing the instrument is not sufficient.

These resources provide information on ethical standards for the use of test and other measurement instruments, including academic, research, and professional practice settings.

• Statement on the Use of Secure Psychological Tests in the Education of Graduate and Undergraduate Psychology Students  
  Produced by the American Psychological Association (APA) Committee on Psychological Tests and Assessment (CPTA).
• APA's Guidelines for Test User Qualifications: Executive Summary 
  Explains qualifications and professional standards in the use of tests with the public.
• FAQ / Finding Information About Psychological Tests 
  Produced by the APA Science Directorate.
• Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing 
  Four copies (2014 edition) available in Evans Library were developed jointly by the American Educational Research Council, American Psychological Association, and National Council on Measurement in Education. Revised significantly from the 1985 version, reflecting changes in federal law and measurement trends affecting validity; testing individuals with disabilities or different linguistic backgrounds; and new types of tests and new uses for existing tests. Addresses issues of test development and use in education, psychology, and employment.

Mental Measurements Yearbook and Tests in Print merged into one database providing a description and reviews for commercial tests and measures. Full text of commercial tests & measures can be purchased from publishers (with appropriate credentials) and are sometimes appended (with prior permission from the copyright holder) to book chapters, journal articles, or dissertations as part of a research study.

• Mental Measurements Yearbook (EBSCO) 
  Provides a description, validity and reliability data, and two full-text critiques/reviews for each commercial, standardized test instrument and measurement scale described in the database. Tests are classified into 18 areas such as educational skills, intelligence, aptitude, personality, and achievement. Descriptions Include: administration time, intended test population, price, publication date, acronym, author(s), publisher, and test purpose (what is being measured). MMY includes content from all of the print Yearbooks, 1938 through current. 

Commercial test or measurement instruments are not purchased by TAMU Libraries.  These have undergone extensive testing to achieve high validity and reliability measures and are kept under tight control.  Publishers protect access by selling copies to practicing psychologists or other qualified professionals only.  You will find "some" commercial tests (either in part or whole) appended to dissertations, books, or scholarly journal articles because researchers have obtained permission in advance from the test author or copyright holder (sometimes the publisher) prior to use and publication.  

Non-commercial tests & measures can also be found by searching databases for journals articles that describe test development and validity and reliability.

Graduate students needing access to test instruments for research purposes should:

1.  Search databases for tests appended to or published in dissertations, journal articles, or books (see Databases section below)
2.  Check the ETS Test Collection database - The Educational Testing Service provides description and availability information for over 25,000 tests & measures ($25 download fee for those available in PDF)
2.  Contact the test author to request a free copy (for research purposes, but only if the author retains copyright)
3.  Contact the publisher -- (for commercial tests) -- to request a copy (sometimes publishers will provide a free copy for research purposes) or request to purchase a copy (sometimes offered at a discount - otherwise full price).

IMPORTANT:

• If you wish to alter or customize an original test, scale, or measurement instrument for your research or publication (thesis, dissertation, journal article, or book), you must first seek permission to do so from the test author or copyright holder.  
• Merely citing the instrument is not sufficient!
• See Responsibilities of Test Users section.

These databases can be used to find both commercial and non-commercial tests and other measurement instruments appended to dissertations, journal articles, or in books.  See specific techniques for searching each database below to find the full text of the instruments.  ProQuest Dissertations & Theses is the database that usually yields the best results for commercial tests.

• APA PsycInfo (EBSCO)
  Do a combination search for the test  name within the Tests & Measures field AND appended in the Tests and Measures field. If the test was appended to an article, you will get results for your search.
• ERIC  "Education Resources Information Center" (EBSCO)
  Do a search for the test name and select "Tests/Questionnaires" as your Publication Type.
• ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global
  Search for the test name within the Abstract field. If a test is used in the dissertation, it will usually be mentioned in the Abstract, Methods, Measures, or Appendix sections in the Table of Contents (check dissertation PDF). Sometimes the dissertation author will get permission from the test author or copyright holder to reproduce the full test in the Appendix.
• ETS Test Collection
  Educational Testing Service (ETS)Test Collection contains descriptions and availability for over 25,000 test instruments and measures from early 1900 - present. Many are available for $25 download fee. You must contact the copyright holder for tests without an e-order field.