Restrictions
Many tests and measures come with restrictions, especially if it is a well known, commercially available test that is expensive. Try searching Mental Measurements Yearbook to find an entry for your test. If the test you want to use is in this database, chances are it comes with restrictions on who can buy, administer or even photocopy it.
- Mental Measurements Yearbook with Tests in Print This link opens in a new windowOffers evaluations of standardized tests and measures in education, psychology, law, healthcare, counseling, and management. In addition to test reviews, descriptions of the purpose, target population, administration, scores, price, author, and publisher for all listed tests are provided. Reviews are written by highly qualified professionals with expertise in a range of disciplines.
Search and Discover Tests and Measures
If you already know the name of the test you want, first try finding it within BU Libraries Search. We may have access to a scale you are looking for either online or within the Pickering Educational Resources Library.
- APA PsycTests This link opens in a new window
PsycTESTS provides descriptive summaries and the full text, when available, for thousands of non-commercial psychological tests and measures. Also provided are summaries of commercially available tests with links to the publisher. It includes a wide variety of test types in many subject areas and, if available, gives supporting documentation such as instructions, scoring guides, and answer sheets. Updated monthly.
- APA PsycInfo This link opens in a new windowWithin PsycINFO, you can find articles with measures attached in full text. Try entering append* as a keyword (this will retrieve articles with appendices, where tests are often contained), AND also use the “TM Tests and Measures” drop-down menu option.
- ProQuest Dissertations & Theses This link opens in a new windowOccasionally dissertations will contain full text measures. In this database, try searching (test or measure) along with keywords, and then closely read the abstracts to find out if one is available.
- Tests and Measures in the Social Sciences: Tests Available in Compilation Volumes
Search for measures included in books. Instructions at this website are out of date: but if you search the big box at UTA Libraries carefully with TMdb as a keyword, you will find results at the bottom of the page in the "UTA Libraries Website" section. If you find something interesting, open a new browser window to the BU Libraries home page and search for that book title (not the test title) in BU Libraries Search to see if we have print or online access to it. - ETS Test Link
Switch to the Advanced Search tab, change one dropdown to Order Information and type downloadable in the search box. Then add other keywords to another box and click search.
Pickering Educational Resources Library Test Collection
This box is meant to supply information about Tests and Measures that the Pickering Educational Resources Library has in physical form, within the library at 2 Silber Way.
Restricted to Boston University students and faculty, the Test Collection supports the assessment courses taught in the BU Wheelock College of Education & Human Development. These tests are for 2-hour in-library use only, and may NOT be copied or administered, except as follows below. Test Collection items do NOT circulate through interlibrary loan.
Test Collection - Description
All tests are kept behind our circulation desk and are of two kinds: those that are shelved in folders, and those shelved on 'oversize' stacks. Many are older items for research only, but some items are the most recent editions available.
All of the tests are discoverable through BU Libraries Search. Our shelving scheme (Roman numerals I-VII) lists tests by these seven subjects: Achievement, Intelligence/Aptitude, Interest, Personality/Behavior, Sensorimotor, Speech/Hearing/Visual, and Miscellaneous (vocational, health, etc). These tests can not be copied or administered without prior approval from the author or publisher.
Search for a Test in the Collection
Finding our tests is easy. All measures we have in physical form can be found through BU Libraries Search. To find a specific test, just search for it by title or keywords. Alternatively:
- Click on Advanced Search next to the search bar on BU Libraries Search
- add keywords in search boxes, such as test, scale, or simply a descriptive keyword, and click search
- In the search results, apply the filter for LIBRARY=Pickering
- Finally, scan results to find the phrase "Available at Pickering Educational Resources Library Test Collection".
Faculty Services for the Collection
Circulation to Faculty
Qualified BU faculty members may check out a test that is not on reserve, but must be authorized from the Head of Pickering Educational Resources Library. Please note: these items are still subject to recall.
Circulation to Training Students - Tests ON RESERVE
Qualified BU faculty members may also request that tests be put ON RESERVE to circulate them to students. Faculty members must submit a class roster to authorize students to check out a test under their supervision for training purposes. Only students on these rosters, that the library receives from qualified faculty members, will be able to check out designated instruments for a 3-day loan period. The reasons for this restriction have to do with ethical use, validity of the instrument, and with copyright permissions.
Submitting a class roster:
- allows the library to offer a circulation system for faculty wishing to share evidence-based research tools with students;
- allows qualified students to check out the test during times the library is open; and
- allows the publisher (e.g., Pearson) to ensure that the instrument is being used by students who are under the supervision of a qualified professional.
Help
If you have any questions please contact the Head of Pickering Educational Resources Library.
