Contact the librarian at your campus for more help!
University Park / World Campus:
Ellysa Cahoy
(ellysa@psu.edu or 814-865-9696)
University Park / World Campus:
Nonny Schlotzhauer
(nonny@psu.edu or 814-863-4644)
Harrisburg / University Park / World Campus:
Bernadette Lear
(BAL19@psu.edu or 717-948-6360)
Introduction
There is a difference between finding a few questions quickly for a class assignment, versus identifying the BEST instruments for your thesis, dissertation, or research project. If you are doing deep research to make an impact on your profession, or you are hoping to publish your results, it's important to know which instruments are widely used and have been peer-reviewed by other researchers. Below are some resources.
Exploring Tests That Are Commonly Used and Peer Reviewed
Mental Measurements Yearbook (print) by ISBN: 9780910674669Publication Date: 1938-presentThe original, printed version of the MMY, which some instructors still use for teaching purposes. Conveniently, you can view a list of all tests profiled in the MMY from 1985 to the present on the Buros Institute Tests Reviewed page. Once you know the name of a desired test, you can purchase a review on the Buros Test Reviews Online site.
Pruebas Publicadas en Español by Call Number: varies -- see library catalog recordsISBN: 9780910674645Publication Date: 2013, 2018, and 2023Consists of descriptive listings of commercially published tests that are available in part or wholly in Spanish. Conveniently, you can view a list of all tests profiled in Pruebas Publicadas en Español on the Buros Institute Pruebas page.
Identifying Additional Instruments (if needed)
- PsycTESTS (formerly listed as APA PsycTests®) This link opens in a new windowThe library's best database for Psychology tests/measures. Includes some Education items as well.
- ETS Test LinkETS, the same company that developed the SAT and the GRE, has one of the largest libraries of testing instruments in the world. Its catalog, TestLink, lists more than 25,000 tests that you can purchase from ETS or obtain elsewhere.
- Catalog (Penn State University Libraries catalog) This link opens in a new windowTo find books on testing, add words such as "assessment," "instruments," "measurement," "research," "scaling," or "testing" to your search.
- CSUN Test FinderCreated by Mark Stover of Cal State University, Northridge, this database finds tests published in books.
- Google Book SearchSearches the full-text of millions of books.
Search Tips
Finding the best instruments for your project can be challenging. Here are some general tips:
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- For instance, assess* will find books and articles that have “assessment” or “assessing” in the title
- Try related and broader words, especially if you are finding few results
- For instance, if you’d like to measure problem-solving ability in 16 to 21-year olds, try both "adolescents," "high school," and related words. Also, you can try "intelligence" (a broader term) instead of “problem-solving ability”
- Carefully note every clue you find including:
- Abbreviations, popular names, and “official” or spelled-out names of instruments
- Names of all authors who were involved in the development of the instruments
- Corporations that published the instruments, or universities where the instruments' authors work(ed)
- Alternative versions and new editions of the instruments
- On the internet, many free versions of tests are edited or shortened -- they are not the complete, original instruments that you would expected to use professionally.