Psychological & Educational Tests & Measures

How do I cite a test in APA style?

Tests are usually cited in the same style as books.

EXAMPLE: Bracken, B.A. & McCallum, R.S. (1998). Universal Nonverbal Intelligence Test. Itasca, IL: Riverside Publishing.

How do I cite a test review in APA style?

Two main resources for test reviews are Mental Measurements Yearbook (MMY) and Test Critiques. Test reviews from these sources are formatted similarly to chapters within an edited book. Note that you are citing the review, not the test itself. The test author’s name does not appear in a citation for the review.

Tests in APA's PsycTests Database

Tests found in PsycTest usually have a field in their records labeled PERMISSIONS. This field will tell you what can be done with the test. 60% grant the permission, "May used for Research & Teaching", this means:

Test content may be reproduced and used for non-commercial research and educational purposes without seeking written permission. Distribution must be controlled, meaning only to the participants engaged in the research or enrolled in the educational activity. Any other type of reproduction or distribution of test content is not authorized without written permission from the author and publisher. Always include a credit line that contains the source citation and copyright owner when writing about or using any test.

Examples of permitted use include:

• Using the test for educational purposes, for example in a school project

• Publishing the results of research using the test, as well as the test itself, with a copyright notice giving credit to the original test authors

• General use in a clinical setting

For more info see: https://blog.apapubs.org/2016/12/21/how-permissions-work-in-psyctests/ 

General Responsibilities of Users of Unpublished Tests or Measures

If you do not have explicit knowledge of the permissions granted (e.g. if you found a test outside of PsycTest), users of unpublished tests have certain ethical responsibilities. Users must (a) contact the test author and request permission to use their test, and (b) secure their permission in writing if the material is copyrighted. Locating the author may be a difficult process, particularly if the measure is several years old, but try the following steps:

• Journal articles list the author’s organizational affiliation (or university) with a mailing address on the first page of the article. If the publication is fairly recent, this method is almost always successful. If this fails, directories published by scientific and professional associations like APA could provide you with a more current address and phone number for the author. This is useful if the article is several years old and the author has moved since the article was published.
• If these attempts to locate the author fail, contact the publisher holding the copyright to the original material and request permission from the publisher. Remember that APA holds the copyright to all material published in APA journals.
• No matter how difficult this process may seem, you should make every effort to contact an author or copyright holder to secure permission before using any test or other instrument.

Statement on the Use of Secure Psychological Tests in the Education of Graduate & Undergraduate Psychology Students

The APA Committee on Psychological Tests and Assessment (CPTA) encourages the education of undergraduate and graduate psychology students in the appropriate and ethical use of psychological tests and assessment instruments.

There are ethical issues involved in administering and using tests and measures.  For more information on ethical uses of tests, you may want to consult the APA's FAQ on Finding Information about Psychological Tests, especially the section labeled Additional Information on the Proper Use of Tests and also look at the following publication in the Library:

ALSO NOTE: Depending on who the test will be administered to, how the test will be administered, and how the results will be used, researchers may need to gain their research organization's Institutional Review Board (IRB) permission before conducting reseach using a test.  Learn more from UNM's Office of the Institutional Review Board (IRB).