Research Instruments, Tests and Measures

This aspect of working with research tools may often be the most challenging. Some surveys are available commercially. However you are often required to purchase multiple copies. Try the following options instead.

1. Look in books that include instruments and administration procedures.
   • • For nursing related concepts, there are two books with tests:

       Measurement of Nursing Outcomes is edited by Carolyn F. Waltz and Ora L. Strickland (New York: Springer Publishing Company, c1988-1992, 2001- ).
       DANA, LSM RT 85.5 .M434 1988 v. 1-4 and CAMDEN, DANA REF RT 85.5 .M434 2001 v. 1- .

       The subject coverage includes client outcomes, nursing performance, clinical skills and professional development outcomes, and client self-care and coping skills. The contributors wrote reports that follow a measurement protocol format. The protocol sections include a literature review on the outcome variable, an analysis of existing tools, the conceptual basis, purpose of the measurement toool, procedures for further development of the tool, the administration and scoring process, and the methodology for testing the tool's reliability and validity.

       Instruments for Measuring Nursing Practice and other Health Care Variables, is edited by Mary Jane Ward and Carol A. Lindeman under the auspices of the Division of Nursing in the U. S. Health Resources Administration (Hyattsville, MD: The Administration, 1979.)
       DANA REF RT 73 .U56 1979 v. 1-2.

       In two volumes, the editors have included copies of clinical and psychosocial tools and administration methods. However the book's usefulness may be limited due to the publication date. Tests that are still employed by researchers have usually been modified through ongoing research.

    
   • • For clinical psychology related concepts, measurement tools and administration procedures are included in:

       Joel Fischer and Kevin Corcoran, Measures For Clinical Practice: A Sourcebook. (New York: Free Press, 2000).

       The authors cover measures for couples, families, and children in volume 1 and measures for adults in volume 2. Their scope is limited to rapid assessment instruments that practitioners might use to monitor and evaluate clients' progress in coping with common problems. The authors have included a title and a subject index.
       CAMDEN, DANA, LSM REF BF 176 .C66 2000 v. 1-2.

    
   • Search Web-based sources:

     CHIPTS

     A database of surveys developed by scientists at the Center for HIV Identification, Prevention and Treatment Services and others to promote HIV prevention and treatment. Sponsored by the National Institute of Mental Health, the Center is located in Los Angeles and brings together researchers from UCLA, Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science, the Friends Research Institute, and RAND.

      

     RAND Health Surveys and Tools

     Researchers at RAND Health make available the surveys they created to investigate health issues for better policy decisions. The 64 surveys currently offered cover a wide range of health and health delivery concerns.

      

     Tests and Measures in the Social Sciences: tests available in compilation volumes.

     Helen Hough, a librarian from the Health Sciences Library, University of Texas, Arlington, has created and continues to update the database by listing the tests in compilation volumes and attaching a citation for the source. Over 121 source volumes have been analyzed to develop a list of 10,800 measures.

      

     After locating the compilation volume for your test, search IRIS to check the availability of the book at a Rutgers Library.

2. Ask a College of Nursing faculty member with a similar research interest.

3. Write to the authors.

4. Search CINAHL. CINAHL's producers are expanding the number of surveys available in full text. The record contains a detailed description of the tool and administration procedures. CINAHL has obtained permission from the author to create this access point. (Rutgers-restricted Access)

5. Request a microfiche copy from the Library of Science and Medicine's Tests in Microfiche series. The microfiche sets have tests from the collection of the Educational Testing Service. You may search the ETS collection electronically at the TestLink Web site. Any test with the ETS Library in the "Contact Information" section is available for request. The test collection may also be searched through the print catalogs although they are not as up to date as the Test Locator. Dana Library has the print catalogs available in the reference collection (DANA REF LB 3051 .E79 1986).
   
   To place your request, click on "Delivery and Interlibrary Loan" on the University Libraries home page and then select "Interlibrary Loan and Article Delivery Services" for journal articles held by Rutgers. When you complete the form for New Request/Article Request, enter Tests in Microfiche as the journal title, the ETS tracking number as the journal volume, the measure title and the author's name.

6. Purchase a copy of the test. TestLink and Test Reviews Online provide purchase information for the tests included in the databases. The tests are available for download; however, the tests are also in microfiche format through the Rutgers Libraries. See last paragraph in Section 5 above.
   
   Commercial vendors also make tests available for purchase. Many of the vendors participate in the Association of Test Publishers. Information about the member publishers may be located on the Association's Website. However, there is no search feature to find the appropriate publisher by test name.