How do I find a survey?
Where do I search for a survey, measurement, instrument, questionnaire, scale, or other data gathering tool? Once I find a record, how do I get the test itself?
Answer
For information on finding a survey, see the How to Find a Survey Video
If you've already found a test in APA PscyTESTS....
Do you have permission to use the test?
Click on the test title in your APA PyscTESTS search results to open the detailed record. Navigate to the Permissions field. You will find 1 of 4 options.
MAY USE FOR RESEARCH/TEACHING
This means that you are allowed to use the test in your dissertation research.
CONTACT CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
This means that you must contact the corresponding author to get permission to use this test. You can find author contact information listed in the Correspondence field. Tracking down the author may require extra effort if the email address at the time of publication is no longer valid. In that case, try following the author’s research trail for clues about current affiliation or contact information from more recent publications.
CONTACT PUBLISHER
This means that you must contact the corresponding publisher to get permission to use this test.
Information about who published a test is presented in different ways, depending on whether the test record describes a non-commercial research instrument or a commercial one.
Non-commercial measures, which were used in research published in a journal article or other scholarly resource, are often freely available for use within a research or educational context. In contrast, commercial tests can be obtained for a fee and are usually available only to qualified professionals.
You can quickly identify whether you’re looking at a non-commercial or commercial/fee-based test by looking at the test record’s Commercial field. For a commercial test available for purchase through a scholarly or specialty publisher, you’ll see the name in the Publisher field.
To identify the publisher of a non-commercial measure, go to the Source Citation field to view the research citation. If it includes a doi.org link, you can use it to quickly access the publisher’s web site. If not, make note of the journal or publication title and try searching online for its publisher.
NOT SPECIFIED
If a test in APA PyscTESTS has a "Not Specified" permission, it means that you should contact the test publisher for permission to use it (see above).
WHAT IF I STILL HAVE QUESTIONS?
If the test was published in an APA journal or other APA publication, contact APA Publishing’s Permissions team at permissions@apa.org for questions about acceptable use. If the test was published in a non-APA resource or is commercially available, you’ll need to visit the external publisher’s web site to find contact information.
If you’ve reviewed the full test record but still aren’t sure who published it, send the complete test name to permissions@apa.org. APA Publishing’s Permissions team will review the test and let you know whether it was published by APA. Including the APA PsycTests Unique Identifier number displayed near the end of the test record will help us to identify the test in question and respond more quickly.
CAN I MODIFY THE TEST?
For any questions about whether your intended use of the test is permissible — including possible changes to test format — you’ll need to contact the test publisher. This is true even if the Permissions field indicates “May use for Research/Teaching”.
Examples of when you’d need to request permissions from the test publisher include..
Modifying a test;
Using a test for any purpose not stated in the APA PsycTests record;
Republishing a test, including reproducing it online;
Using a test for research within a commercial/for-profit context.
Are the test items available?
Click on the test title in your APA PyscTESTS search results to open the detailed record. Navigate to the Test Items Available field. You will find 1 of 2 options.
YES
This means that at least some test items are attached as a PDF file. Find the PDF file attached to the record on the lefthand side of the detailed record.
NO
This means that the test items are not available online. You must contact the author or publisher to request the test materials. Find information on contacting the author or publisher in Step 1.
Please note that you can NOT use Interlibrary Loan to obtain test materials if the Test Items Available field says No.
SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS
For test administration questions (e.g., availability of scoring rubric or supplemental materials, interpreting results, etc.), contact the corresponding author listed in the test record. Find information on contacting the author or publisher in instructions above.
WHERE ELSE I CAN SEARCH FOR A COPY OF THE TEST?
Bearing in mind that you must adhere to the permissions field entry to use the test, it is possible to search outside of APA PyscTESTS to locate a copy. Try searching in the following databases...
Proquest Dissertations and Theses
This database contains dissertations and theses from institutions around the globe. Sometimes dissertations include copies of survey instruments, measurements, or tests, as they are not confined by strict page limits like scholarly or peer-reviewed journals. Find the test in the methodology section or appendices.
Occasionally copies of tests are available online. Search for the test by name and navigate the results for a web document or attachment.