Tests and Measures

This guide is focused upon finding tests and measures in the field of psychology.

If you don't yet know what test or measure you want to use, three different methods may help you to find one. 

• Search the Mental Measurements Yearbook online database to find test reviews to determine which test works for your project.
• Look for the tests or measures other researchers have used by reading through the methods sections of academic journal articles related to your topic.
• Search APA PsycInfo for articles related to your topic with appended tests and measures (full text tests and measures that are included as an added section of the article).

You'll find details about the first two options on this page, and more information about searching for appended tests and measures on the second page of this guide. 

The Mental Measurements Yearbook with Tests in Print (Online) can be found on the University Libraries' databases page or by following the link below. 

• Go to the Mental Measurements Yearbook database

• Search for a test, measure, or scale

  • Search by keyword, or by the name of the scale

  • Keyword example: anxiety

• When you click on one of the search results, you will see a detailed description and review of the test

  • This database does not have the test itself, but you can figure out which scale / test is a good one for your project

Another method for finding a test can be to simply look at what tests or measures were used in academic journal articles related to your topic. 

When others were doing research projects related to your topic, what research instruments did they use?

• Go to APA PsycINFO

• Do a keyword search for your topic

  • For example: anxiety AND college students AND exercise

• Select an article result

• Read the Methods section for the article and see what tests or measures they used. In most cases, they will name the measure but it will not be part of the article. In some cases, the actual test or measure may be at the end of the article in an appendix. 

• If you have found the name of a test or measure you are interested in but not the full text, you can proceed by seeing if the test or measure may be available in a book collection (see the 'Find the full text of tests in book collections' page for details). 

Even if you do find the full text of the measure in the article, you will need to contact the author or publisher to ask for permission to use it. Be sure to explain that you are a student, which will increase the likelihood that you will be given permission.