Locating Instruments to Gather Data

The following points are offered as a way to locate instruments that appear in article literature or documents.  Once you find a name of an instrument that is of interest to you, you can then search for any existing research on it in the databases by using the name and limiting to the research literature as described for the quantitative methodology section.  Here are some suggestions:

• Search the ERIC database and limit the search by publication type by selecting the PT field from the drop down box and then type either <tests/questionnaires> or the numeral for this group, 160.  
• Search the PsycINFO database using the Tests and Measures field (select from the drop down box).  Also type the word <appended> in the left search box.  Using the keyword setting on the second line, type your topic beginning with the left search box.
• Use the thesaurus in Education Full-Text and search on the word tests and scales.  A list of various linked items will display.  Either click on the link or perform a search with the name using the advanced search screen.
• Expand on the word tests in the Linguistics and Language Behavior Abstracts.  Select one to combine with a topic in the advanced search screen.

Mental Measurements Yearbook appears in two formats at the library, one is electronic; the other is in print.  This resource contains reviews of instruments and references to research conducted on the value of a particular item.  The easiest way to learn if a review is in Mental Measurements Yearbook is to search by the name of the item, such as Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy Scale.  The results will present just like they do in Academic Search Complete with some differences.  First of all, the full-text is not a journal article, but a review or reviews of the item that appears in the print Mental Measurements Yearbook.  If the reviewer used other references in his or her analysis, these will be listed at the end of the document.  The database record does not provide bibliographic information but, instead, provides various facts and general information about the item, such as the author, publisher, scores, length, and audience.  Since some older information is removed from the electronic version, the library maintains the print yearbooks (Ref BF 431Z Z99 B96).
However, not all valuable research tools are in electronic format.  The library still has some very good books that can also point you in the right direction.

Here are some other resources that can be used in conjunction with Mental Measurements Yearbook:
Test Critiques:  BF176.T419
Tests in Print:   BF431. T47
Commissioned Reviews of 250 Psychological Tests:  Ref BF 176 .C65 2000