Tests & Measures

While many scholarly articles describe studies conducted with particular tests, they do not usually include the test itself. But you can still find information about the tests (such as test author and contact, and interpretation of results) in the literature by searching the following databases:

Cinahl
Education Index
ERIC
HaPI
Medline
PILOTS
PsycInfo and PsycArticles
Quality of Life Instruments Database
Social Services Abstracts
Social Work Abstracts

These databases are linked here, or you can access them from the Libraries homepage under the "Databases" tab.

Cinahl (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature)
To search for tests and measurements on a topic type in the topic and the term(s) tests, measurements, scales, surveys, or inventory.
For example: eating disorder AND tests

To search for information about a specific test type in the name of the test and select Instrumentation from the drop down box.
For example: Eating Disorder Inventory

ERIC ( Education Resources Information Center)
To search for tests in ERIC (Proquest), go to the advanced search and type in either 160 or tests questionnaires with Publication Type selected from the dropdown menu.
For example: Learning Styles Inventory AND tests questionnaires and select Publication Type from the dropdown menu.
To search for tests in ERIC (FirstSearch), type in tests questionnaires with Publication Type selected from the dropdown menu on the right.

HaPI (Health and Psychosocial Instruments)
HaPI provides records for finding quantitative and qualitative instruments and studies that use instruments. The information is abstracted from journals covering, health, psychosocial sciences, organizational behavior, and library information science.
To search for tests and measurements just type in the topic.
For example: anxiety
To search for information about a specific test type in the name of the test.
For example: Beck Depression Inventory

Medline with Fulltext
To search for tests and measures on a topic type in the topic and the term(s) questionnaires, psychological tests, psychometrics outcome, and process assessment (health care).
For example: Asthma and Questionnaires

To search for information about a specific test type in the name of the test.
For example: Asthma and Quality of Life Questionnaire

Useful MESH headings include: Questionnaires, Psychological tests, Psychometrics, Process assessment (health care), Outcome and process assessment (health care), Aptitude tests, Language tests, Neuropsychological tests, and Personality tests.

PILOTS (Published International Literature on Traumatic Stress)
This database indexes articles related to post-traumatic stress disorder and other psychiatric disorders.
You can select "test and measure" from the drop-down to search for tests.
The database is also feely available online; click on "Instruments Authority List" and download the "PILOTS Database Instruments Authority List" PDF to get an extensive list and description of instruments used for psychiatric disorders.

PsycINFO
To search for tests and measurements you can use the advanced search screen. Search for your topic as a keyword and scroll down to choose the limiter "Appendixes" under "Supplemental Materials".
A good way to find information about a test but not necessarily find the test, is to type in the name of the test, or keywords, and use the "TM Tests & Measures" option in the drop down.
An additional method of finding information about a test is to use the "Indexes" tab at the top of the web page.  Under "Browse and Index" choose "Tests & Measures", then type your test name into the search box and click on "Browse"  You can select the terms that appear and click "Add" to add them to your search strategy.

Quality of Life Instruments Database (QOLID)
This health-related database identifies and describes Quality of Life (QOL) instruments.
The instruments are listed by name, by pathology/disease,  by targeted population or by author.

Social Services Abstracts
To search for information about a specific test type in the name of the test.
For example: Behavioral and Emotional Rating Scale

To search for tests and measurements use the advanced search and combine the topic with the terms appendix and tests or measures or scales.
For example: alcoholism, AND appendix, AND tests OR Measures OR scales 

Social Work Abstracts
To search for tests and measurements use the advanced search and combine the topic with the term(s) Rating-scales, or measures.
To search for information about a specific test type in the name of the test.
For example: Geriatric Depression Scale