Skip to Main Content

Finding Research Instruments

A guide to help identify and locate the full-text [entire document] of research instruments (e.g. surveys, questionnaires, tests, assessments, and other measures).

Finding Materials on Instruments

For other materials on psychological test, surveys, and measures, search the Libraries' catalog - some suggested terms are:

  • psychological tests
  • educational tests
  • occupational aptitude tests
  • research -- methodology

Tip: When searching a database, add these terms to your search to find information on the validity of the instruments:
(psychometrics OR validity OR reliability)

When checking for internal consistency, a Chronbach's alpha score of .69 and lower should be avoided or used with caution (American Psychological Association (2014). Psi Chi-APA Presentation for Students on Tests and Measures [PowerPoint slides].  

Availability of Published (Commercial) vs. Unpublished Instruments

Availability of psychological tests and measures depends on whether they are published or unpublished, as defined below:

Published tests are commercially available for purchase. These measurement instruments have established validity, reliability and norms and typically come with test manuals and testing protocols. In many cases only qualified or professionally trained individuals can purchase copies.

Unpublished tests are found in the scholarly literature, usually in psychology, and have typically been developed by university researchers or other professionals, government agencies, or nonprofit organizations. Copies of these tests may sometimes be found as appendices to journal articles, dissertations, books and other research reports. While access to these tests is not restricted, ethical conduct requires that these tests should be used only with the permission of the instrument's author.