Communication  Tags: communication broadcasting mass media journalism  

Assessment tools, such as questionnaires, inventories and scales, measure or gauge some quality, knowledge, need, behavior, or trend.  They are used for diagnosis, research, and assessment in psychology, education, and other social science and health disciplines. Before choosing and administering a test you should understand the principles, guidelines and ethics that pertain to the use of assessment tools. 

Finding information about a particular tool is usually not difficult; however locating a copy of the tool may be more problematic.  Tools are generally considered either 'published' or 'unpublished'.

• Published. Need permission to use and may need to purchase copy or rights from the publisher.  Many tests require professional credentials to adminster.
• Unpublished. Unless specified otherwise, must obtain permission from author to use.  Copies of tools can sometimes be found in books, journal articles or other collections and can be reproduced.

Many sources are available that provide background as well as detailed information on assessment.  A few sources to begin with are:

In the Libraries' Reference Collection:

Many finding aids exist for identifying assessment tools.  No one aid is completely comprehensive, thus you will likely need to use several to locate the assessment tool you need.

Book: 

Communication Research Measures: A Sourcebook.  Rebecca B. Rubin, Philip Palmgreen, Howard E. Sypher.

Call Number: Raynor Reference P91.3 .C62 1994
ISBN/ISSN: 0898622913

 Contains a number of measurements and scales dealing with communication.

1 copy in Raynor Reference; 2 copies available for check-out from Memorial Library stacks.

Online Sources:

Tests in Print (TIP) a comprehensive database of all known, commercially available tests currently in print in the English language. When available TiP records link directly to the critical test reviews published in the Mental Measurements Yearbook (see below). SEARCHING: TiP is not like typical bibliographic database. Avoid complicated search terms and combinations.  With the basic, somewhat abbreviated records in this database the best practice is to search broadly and filter the results by browsing through the records.

Mental Measurements Yearbook (MMY) provides descriptions of published assessment tools, including title, author, audience, publisher, validity, reliability, norming data and scoring information.  Most entries also include one or more reviews.  Earlier paper editions (1938-1978) available in Raynor Reference BF431 .M44.

TestLink Index of over 25,000 assessment tools from the early 1900s to the present, compiled by Educational Testing Service.  Tests indexed in the collection are generally from 3 sources:

• Tests in Microfiche - Copies of over 1000 unpublished assessment tools in microfiche format, updated annually. May be reporduced, Raynor Library, Lower Level, Media and Reserves Room MICROFICHE G-845
• ETS Store – Some tools can be purchase through the Educational Testing Service Store
• Published Tests – Tools available from various publishers.  Contact publisher for availability. 

Tests and Measures in the Social Sciences: Tests available in compilation volumes Index of 10,800 tools located in 121 books, listed by author and keyword.  Produced by University of Texas at Austin.  MU Libraries have many of the books; check MARQCAT by title of book

HaPI, Health and Psychosocial Instruments:  Indexes journal articles with description and analyses of assessment tools used in health and psychology; 1985 – present

More...

Obtaining permission to use an assessment tool is essential and may take some time. 

'Published' tools are generally available from the publisher and may require professional credentials or supervision to administer.  Contact information for publishers can be located in TiP, MMY, TestLink or HaPI. 

Permission to use 'unpublished' tools is generally sought from the author/creator of the tool.  Current contact information for authors is sometimes more difficult to assertain.  Begin with the information in the sources listed above, try additional online directories, Google, etc. 

Behavioral Measurement Database Services (BMDS), which produces the HaPI database, offers a fee-based service to obtain a copy of a tool or seek permission from authors on your behalf.  Prices range from $20 and up and can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.  Contact BMDS at 412-687-5213 or email at bmdshapi@aol.com

For more resources on mental measurements and testing sources please consult the full guide: