Finding Scales & Measures
Finding Scales & Measures
(& Getting Permission to Use Them!)
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Where to Find Existing Scales, Tests, & Measures
Where to Find Existing Scales, Tests, & Measures
Finding the right test or measure can sometimes be a very long and frustrating process!
Some tests can be obtained for free directly from the authors or can be found within published open access articles
Other tests are copyrighted and owned by publishers or for-profit companies and must be purchased
No matter how you find it, you still need to contact the owner (author, publisher, for-profit company) to get permission to use it.
Where to Find Tests:
Conduct a literature search in PsycINFO, PubMed, or other databases to identify potential test names presented in the literature
Identify & locate the original study that published the test and review the methods section, tables, appendices, or supplementary materials for the actual test items
Search online test finding resources as listed below
Online Resources Dedicated to Tests
Online Resources Dedicated to Tests
The online database dedicated to locating scales, measures, and surveys! Features include:
Searching for a specific scale by name OR potential scales by topic
Downloading complete scale questions and scale administration info (many, but not all)
Accessing pre-obtained permissions to use scales for non-commercial teaching and research (many, but not all)
Viewing psychometric property information (reliability & validity testing)
Finding the citation for the originating article in which the measure was published
Published by the renowned Buros Center for Testing
Search for a test name or general category to find basic information about who publishes and owns a test
Does NOT provide access to actual test items
Non-profit organization dedicated to educational assessment & research
Test Link allows you to search ETS's physical collection of tests. Some tests are available electronically by request
Can also identify the originating study and owner for some tests
Print Resources Dedicated to Tests
Print Resources Dedicated to Tests
Mental Measurements Yearbook series
Mental Measurements Yearbook series
Print copies available on Reference Shelf
Also published by Buros
Provides test reviews & descriptions (purpose, target population, administration, scores, price, author, and publisher)
Does NOT provide access to actual test items
Each volume features different tests. Browse the A-Z List of tests reviewed in the series
Measures for Clinical Practice & Research
Measures for Clinical Practice & Research
Print copy available on Reference Shelf
2 volume set
Includes full-text scales and administration information
Tests in psychology, social work, psychiatry, counseling, nursing, & medicine
How to Get Permission to Use a Scale, Test, or Measure
How to Get Permission to Use a Scale, Test, or Measure
Once you find that perfect test, you will need to get copyright permission to use it from the current owner and have proof of this permission for your IRB application, your dissertation, or for journals when you go to publish. Follow these two steps:
Step 1: Identify Who Owns the Test
Step 1: Identify Who Owns the Test
The owner(s) could be:
the original authors
the publisher that the authors transferred copyright to when they published an article
a for-profit company who bought the test
Sometimes, it is not at all clear who owns a test. We can help you with this!
Step 2: Contact the Owners for Permission
Step 2: Contact the Owners for Permission
Email the original authors of the test. Search for a current email address in the published article & do a Google search on their name to ensure they haven't moved institutions.
Purchase the test from a publisher or company. This usually covers copyright permission fees as well as gives you access to the test administration materials. Sometimes students are granted discounted rates, so check the individual publisher.
Fill out a form or create & send a permission letter. To document the permissions granted, you will either be sent a form to complete or need to create an original letter for you and the owner to sign. See the Sample Tests & Measures Permission Letter (.docx).
FAQs
FAQs
If I find a questionnaire or other testing instrument on the internet (on a webpage or in an open access article), is it free to use?
If I find a questionnaire or other testing instrument on the internet (on a webpage or in an open access article), is it free to use?
A questionnaire or testing instrument generally has a copyright holder that you will need to identify and seek permission from in order to use the measure in your research. If the test or measure appears in an article, you may want to start by contacting the corresponding author using a version of this request for permission.
Is there any circumstance where I wouldn't need to get permission to use a test?
Is there any circumstance where I wouldn't need to get permission to use a test?
There are two circumstances where you would potentially not need permission to use a test:
1) If a scale, test, or measure available in PsycTests has a clear notification that the owner has pre-granted permission to use the test for non-commercial research and teaching purposes. Download the PsycTests PDF for your records. For more details about what the PsycTests permission grants, see this APA blog post.
2) If an scale, test, or measure is published in an article that was published as open access. However, there must be a clear notification documented in the article text (i.e., by way of a Creative Commons license or other similar license stated in the article). Download the article PDF and highlight this for your records.
It is still best practice to contact the author to share that you plan on using their work.
I'm citing the original paper where the test is published. Is that enough?
I'm citing the original paper where the test is published. Is that enough?
You need to both cite and get permission to use the test. Citing is related to academic integrity and giving credit to other's work; getting permission is related to copyright and the rights of the owner to determine how their work is used. You are ethically and legally obligated to seek permission of the owner of the copyrighted work in order to follow copyright law.
Both the IRB and the journal you eventually seek to publish in will ask for proof that you have obtained permission. For more information about copyright, visit our Copyright@MSP webpage.
How do I find the contact information of an author?
How do I find the contact information of an author?
If they are the corresponding author of the original published article, then their email address should be findable in the article text. However, people do move institutions so simply conducting a Google search of the author's name to verify their current institution and email is best practice. Often these are listed on an institutional website or in a directory.
Should I include the test instrument as an appendix in my dissertation?
Should I include the test instrument as an appendix in my dissertation?
Because dissertations are eventually published in ProQuest's Dissertations & Theses Global and their full text will therefore be widely available, we advise students not to reproduce tests and measures in their dissertations. Doing so requires a separate permission to reproduce copyrighted content, which is distinct from permission to use in research. If you cite the test and describe its questions in your text (including one or two sample questions if you like), there is little reason to pursue reproducing the entire test in your dissertation. However, if you believe it would be beneficial to do so for some reason, a sample permissions letter may be found here. More information on the reproduction of copyrighted material, such as many tests and measures, in your dissertation can be found in the Copyright@MSP guide.
Help! I just can't seem to find what I'm looking for!
Help! I just can't seem to find what I'm looking for!
We are here to help! If you encounter any obstacles throughout the process of trying to identify and get permission to use a scale, don't hesitate to contact us!
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