Introduction
Assessment, whether called diagnosis, measurement, or evaluation, is essential to social work
practice. It is needed to develop accurate definitions of clients and their social situations, to
identify problems, and to serve as a basis for helping intervention. Assessment consists of data
collection, followed by an appraisal of that data as a basis for developing a plan of action.
In order to assist with assessment of various social situations, standardized assessment tools,
or instruments, have been developed. These instruments, which are often in the form of tests,
scales or questionnaires, are widely used in many fields of the social sciences.
Reference books covering the area of assessment often provide background information on an
instrument or a critique of its reliability and usage, but usually do not include the test itself.
In many instances, the actual test needs to be obtained from the author or publisher. In other
cases, the instrument may be reproduced in a book or a journal article (particularly if it is the
original article in which the assessment methodology was first reported). Outlined below are
several methods for obtaining information on assessment instruments from resources available in the
Lillian F. & Milford J. Harris Library.
Finding Resources Using the Online Catalog
If you are using Case's online catalog, you can find books that contain references to assessment
tools by using one of the following methods:
- Select
Subject Heading Search and then choose
MeSH Search (Medical Subject Headings). In the search box, type the words
"instruments and assessment." This will give you a list of Medical Subject Headings on assessment.
Clicking on a heading will lead you to specific titles of books or documents.
- Select
Subject Heading Search and then choose
Library of Congress Subject Heading Search. In the search box, enter a Library of
Congress subject heading such as:
Ability testing
Behavioral assessment
Educational
tests and measurements
Intelligence tests
Personality assessment
Personality tests
Psychodiagnostics
Psychological tests
Psychological
tests for children
Psychometrics
If you enter a term as a subject heading and it is not one currently used by the Library of
Congress, the system will refer you to the correct heading.
- Do a free text search by choosing
Keyword Search. In the search input box, enter a term related to your topic along
with a subject heading or phrase related to assessment. You can also enter the name of a specific
test or assessment tool.
Sample keywords for assessment include:
Appraisal
Aptitude tests
Assessment
Diagnosis
Educational measurement
Evaluation
Instruments
Measurement
Mental tests
Observation
Personality inventory
Scale
Screening
Sociometrics
Tests
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Finding Information on Assessment in the Journal Literature
You can find out what assessment tools have been used to do research in your subject area by
looking at the journal literature.
When you search in an online database you can use the same subject headings and keywords you use
in a catalog search. You can also add words like "empirical or research or evaluation or assessment
or instrument or scale" to your search strategy. This will help narrow the results of your search
to those articles that are more research-oriented. Using the online Index or Thesaurus will help
you find the specific terms and fields that are used for instruments and assessment in that
particular database.
CINAHL-Plus with Full Text (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature) and
PsycINFO are two excellent databases that lead you to research articles with information on
assessment tools or questionnaires. You will find these databases by selecting
Research Databases in the Library
Catalog.
Once you are in the databases, you have the option of limiting the search results to research
studies that have an assessment component.
In CINAHL-Plus with Full Text you can limit your search results to a specific type of
publication, such as a research instrument. Once you have retrieved a set of records, just click onLimit Search Results. You will then get a display of limit options. To further
limit your set to an instrument, choose
Publication Type and highlight the word "Questionnaire" or phrase "Research
Instrument." Then click-on
Limit Results Now and review the new search results.
In PsycINFO, there are several options for narrowing your search results to citations that refer
to assessment. Once you have retrieved a set of records, click on
All Limit Options. You will then get a display of limit options. Go to the
Special Features section and highlight the phrase "Assessment Instrument."
Or you can click on
Classification Codes and highlight a specific code such as "Tests and Testing"
which includes "sensory and motor testing," "educational measurement," "personality scales and
inventories," just to name a few.
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Health and Psychosocial Instruments (HAPI)
Health and Psychosocial Instruments (HAPI) is an online resource for locating information on
measurement instruments. It is available online thru the
Case Research Databases option in the
Library Catalog.
This database allows you to search by author, title of the scale, and acronyms for the scale.
You can also do a descriptor search by typing terms that relate to your research topic (self
esteem, coping, locus of control, etc.).
HAPI provides information on the author, year of publication, original source of the scale,
number of questions, and an abstract describing the context in which the instrument is used. When
available, the reliability measures are also provided.
You will not get the actual scale or assessment tool when you use this database. You may,
however, get references for journal articles or books where the instrument might appear in print
form.
Websites on Assessment
The majority of tests and assessment scales are not available through the web, although
organizations involved in assessment do have websites that provide descriptions of tests and
information on how to obtain them. Here is a list of some of the best sites:
American Psychological Association
The APA responds to a large number of testing questions each day. Responses are included on
their website in the "Frequently Asked Questions" section. They also have an area that highlights
ongoing activities of staff and APA members who are involved in facilitating good test use. APA's
testing office does not maintain, sell, or endorse any tests. They do direct the public to
available resources. If you can't find what you need on APA's website, you can contact the Science
Directorate at (202) 336-6000 or via e-mail to
science@apa.org.
The Buros Institute of Mental Measurements
Founded in 1939, the Buros Institute promotes appropriate test selection, utilization, and
practice and works to encourage improved test development and research. The titles published by the
Buros Institute are focused on providing consumers and other test users with accurate evaluations
of the usefulness and effectiveness of commercially available tests. Their website includes
information on how to effectively use their publications and provides links to other organizations
involved in assessment issues. It also provides a link to their
Test Locator, jointly developed with the Educational Testing Service. The Locator
provides descriptions and availability information on over 10,000 tests.
Educational Testing Service
The ETS website focuses almost exclusively on educational testing. The
Tests &
Services Directory offers information on test preparation, administration, and
appropriate usage. ETS also houses the
ETS Test Collection, a database that allows
you to access information on more than 20,000 published and unpublished tests and
measures.
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General Print Resources
The Harris Library has a range of print resources that deal almost exclusively with assessment
tools. Although a few of the resources will provide the actual assessment instrument most will only
offer a critique of a particular scale and provide references on its usage.
NOTE: Please click on the link to the Library Catalog for call number, location,
and availability.
Advances in
personality assessment. (1982- ). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Analyzes various approaches to personality
assessment. Describes a variety of assessment tools as they are used in a particular topic
area.
American Psychiatric Association. Task Force for the Handbook of Psychiatric Measures. (2000).
Handbook of
psychiatric measures. Washington, DC: Author.
The focus of this volume is on measures
primarily designed for clinicians who work in mental health or primary care settings. The book is
divided into DSM-IV diagnostic categories. The actual instrument is available on an associated CD
for about half of the scales. The Handbook includes excellent introductory chapters on the criteria
that should be used to choose an assessment tool.
Fischer, J., & Corcoran, K. (2007).
Measures for clinical practice and
research: A sourcebook (4th ed., Vols. 1-2). Oxford; New York: Oxford University
Press.
A two volume set: the first volume
concentrates on scales for couples, families and children, and the second volume provides
scales for adults. Includes instruments in their entirety.
Goldman, B. A. (1973-[2008]).
Directory
of unpublished experimental mental measures (Vols. 1-9 & Title Index, vols.
1-7). Dubuque, IA: Wm. C. Brown.
This irregular publication identifies
nonstandardized test instruments that are in the developmental stage.
Groth-Marnat, G. (2003).
Handbook of psychological assessment
(4th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: J. Wiley & Sons.
Provides brief information on purpose,
format, reliability and number of test items. A journal citation is included for each scale.
Hersen, M., & Bellack, A. S. (Eds.). (1988).
Dictionary
of behavioral assessment techniques. New York: Pergamon Press.
A quick reference guide to behavioral
assessment devices. Entries are alphabetical by title of scale.
Johnson, O. G. (1976)
Tests and measurements in child
development: Handbook II (Vols. 1-2). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Covers measures developed or reported between
1966 and 1974 in the area of assessment of children and adolescents. Provides brief test
information, along with references and the source from which the instrument may be obtained.
Keller, P. A., & Ritt, L. G. (Eds.). (1982- ).
Innovations in clinical practice: A
source book. Sarasota, FL: Professional Resource Exchange.
This annual publication includes summaries of
practice issues important to clinicians. Each volume contains a section on Instruments and Office
Forms.
Keyser, D. J., & Sweetland, R. C. (Eds.). (1984- ).
Test critiques. Kansas City,
MO: Test Corporation of America.
Comprehensive reviews of tests used in the
psychological, educational and business fields. Each review includes background information on
development and context, practical applications, technical aspects, and an overall critique.
Kline, P. (1993).
The handbook of
psychological testing. New York: Routledge.
Provides overview information on the subject
of testing. Gives background information on such topics as factor analysis, test construction,
types of psychological tests and how to interpret tests.
Maddox, T. (1997).
Tests: A comprehensive reference for
assessments in psychology, education, and business (4th ed.). Austin, TX: Pro-Ed.
Provides descriptions of over 700 tests
sorted by subject area. Publishers' names and addresses are provided along with the costs of the
tests if they are available commercially.
The ...[Eleventh] mental measurements
yearbook. (1941- ). Highland Park, NJ: The Mental Measurements Yearbook. Irregular.
Provides critical reviews of over 700 tests
as well as descriptive material on over 400 tests. The volume is arranged alphabetically by test
title. See earlier editions for older tests as well as the
1994
Supplement to this edition. More current volumes are(AVAILABLE
ONLINE)
Newmark, C. S. (Ed.). (1985).
Major psychological assessment
instruments. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Provides in-depth examination of ten of the
most widely used tests in psychological assessment practice. Information is provided on the
construction, administration, and interpretation of each test. A case example is also included.
Robinson, J. P., & Shaver, P. R. (1973).
Measures
of social psychological attitudes (Rev. ed.). Ann Arbor, MI: Survey Research Center, Institute
for Social Reasearch
Focuses on attitude scales from the social
science literature which are used primarily in survey research. The actual scales are included,
along with references, a comment section and information on reliability and validity.
Robinson, J. P., Shaver, P. R., & Wrightsman, L. S. (Eds.). (1991).
Measures of personality and social
psychological attitudes. San Diego: Academic Press.
This guide to useful measures of important
social science concepts, is a revised version of the 1973 title edited by Robinson and Shaver.
Includes scales that can be used to measure self-esteem, well-being, social anxiety, depression,
trust, values, locus of control, and authoritarianism.
Tests in print. (1961- ). Highland
Park, NJ: Gryphon Press.
This resource is a bibliographic encyclopedia
of every test in psychology and achievement that has been published and is commercially available
for use. Each entry consists of the test title, author, publisher, foreign adaptions, and
references. Review information is not available in this source.
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Subject Specific Print Resources
Following is a partial listing of resources in the Harris Library that cover assessment in a
specific subject area. The collection also includes resources that provide information on specific
tests or instruments.
NOTE: Please click on the link to the public catalog for call number, location,
and availability.
Antonak, R. F., & Livneh, H. (1988).
The
measurement of attitudes toward people with disabilities: Methods, psychometrics, and scales.
Springfield, IL: C.C. Thomas.
Conoley, J. C., & Werth, E. B. (Eds.). (1995).
Family assessment. Lincoln, NE: Buros
Institute of Mental Measurements, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Davis, C. M., Yarber, W. L., Bauserman, R., Schreer, G., & Davis, S. L. (Eds.). (1998).
Handbook
of sexuality-related measures. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Fredman, N., & Sherman, R. (1987).
Handbook of measurements for marriage and
family therapy. New York: Brunner/Mazel.
Harrington, R. G. (Ed). (1986).
Testing adolescents:
A reference guide for comprehensive psychological assessments. Kansas City: Test Corp. of
America.
Jones, R. L. (Ed). (1996).
Handbook
of tests and measurements for black populations. Hampton, VA: Cobb & Henry Publishers.
L'Abate, L., & Bagarozzi, D. (Eds.). (1993).
Sourcebook of
marriage and family evaluation. New York: Brunner/Mazel.
Lam, R. W., Michalak, E. E., & Swinson, R. P. (2005).
Assessment scales in depression,
mania, and anxiety. London; New York: Taylor & Francis.
Lichtenberg, P. A. (Ed.). (1999).
Handbook
of assessment in clinical gerontology. New York: Wiley.
Mangen, D. J., & Peterson, W. A. (Eds.). (1982-1984).
Research instruments in social
gerontology (Vols. 1-3). Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press.
Murphy, L. L., & Impara, J. C. (Eds.). (1996).
Assessment of
substance abuse. Lincoln, NE: Buros Institute of Mental Measurements, University of Nebraska
Press.
Sajatovic, M., & Ramirez, L. F. (2003).
Rating scales in mental health
(2nd ed.). Hudson, OH: Lexi-Comp.
Sawin, K., Harrigan, M. P., & Woog, P. (Eds.). (1995).
Measures of family
functioning for research and practice. New York: Springer Publishing Co.
Stout, C. E., Levitt, J. L., & Ruben, D. H. (Eds.). (1992).
Handbook for assessing and treating
addictive disorders. New York: Greenwood Press.
***NEW***
Suzuki, L. A., & Ponterotto, J. G. (Eds.). (2008).
Handbook of multicultural assessment;
Clinical, psychological, and education applications (3rd ed.). San Francisco, CA:
Jossey-Bass.
Verhulst, F. C., & Ende, J. van der. (2006).
Assessment scales in child and
adolescent psychiatry. Abington, [England]: Informa; Boca Raton, FL: Taylor
& Francis.
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Other Resources
Tests in microfiche, [microform].
(1975- ). Princeton, NJ: Educational Testing Service.
Available at:
Health Center Library, HCL Periodicals Microfiche Cabinet. 1975-1998.
These microfiche offer information on
educational and psychological tests that have been cited in the literature. This includes never
published tests and out-of-print tests. Users may reproduce tests for their own use from the
microfiche.
