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FAQ/Finding
Information About Psychological Tests
The APA Science Directorate answers hundreds of calls and emails each year from
persons trying to locate the right test or find more information about
psychological tests. APA neither sells nor endorses testing instruments, but it
does provide guidance in using available resources to find psychological tests.
Answers to frequently asked questions are provided here.
CONTENTS
Section 1:
Published Psychological Tests The first section contains information
about published psychological tests -- those available for purchase through a
test publisher. It includes tips on how to locate tests within a given subject
area, how to contact the test publisher once you find an appropriate test, and
where to find computerized testing materials and information.
Finding Information
on a Particular Test
Finding a
Particular Type of Test
Locating a
Specific Test
Locating Test
Publishers
Purchasing Tests
Test
References
Available
Software and Scoring Services
Additional
Information on the Proper Use of Tests
Section 2:
Unpublished Psychological Tests and Measures The second section focuses
on unpublished psychological tests and measures -- those that are not available
commercially for purchase. Information about unpublished tests usually appears
in journal articles. The test can usually be obtained directly from the
researcher who created the test or measure. This section tells you how to find
unpublished tests in your area of interest and highlights your responsibilities
as a user of unpublished psychological tests.
Printed
Directories
Other
Directories
A Final Word
and Responsibilities of Test Users
Section 1: Published Psychological Tests
Where can I find tests to measure self-concept?
Can you send me a copy of this test?
Am I qualified to administer this test?
Although some questions like these do require the assistance of professionals,
most can be answered by consulting one of many sources of testing information
available to the public. Whether student, teacher, concerned test-taker, or
psychologist, everyone can benefit from the many reference texts, databases,
test reviews, and other items accessible through local colleges or public
libraries.
The following information answers some of the most frequently asked questions
regarding published tests.
The first place to start is with one of several excellent testing references
available at your local library. These references provide comprehensive,
useful, and directive information on tests. They can also provide answers to a
variety of questions, such as these: What tests are available for a specific
purpose (e.g., clerical spatial relations)? Who publishes the test? How can I
evaluate the test? How do I get more information on a specific test?
Tests in Print (TIP), the Mental Measurements Yearbook (MMY), Tests, and Test
Critiques are the four most useful and popular references. These are
described in detail later in this document and are available in the reference
section of most college, university, and larger public libraries.
Whether you are trying to locate tests that measure self-concept, or some other
specific cognitive skill or personality trait, you should begin your search
with one of the four test reference books identified above. If available, TIP
may be your best choice, because it has the most entries per volume: 3,009 in
the most recent edition. Each of the references contains several indexes to aid
in such a search. Subject and test title indexes may be most helpful. For
example, suppose you are interested in measuring self-concept. Looking under
'personality tests' in the TIP
subject index, you would quickly find three tests for self-concept. On further
inspection, you would identify over a dozen additional tests that may be
relevant, but are listed somewhere else in the nine-page index of personality
tests. Yet a relatively quick search of a specific subject heading in the index
can provide you with several useful leads.
Once you have identified several tests that may be of interest, you would
review the more detailed entries on each test to determine if they are useful
for your intended purpose. Entries typically identify the age or school grade
levels for which the test is appropriate, as well as any subtests.
Of course, if you are searching for a very specialized test or measure, your
search is not so simple. For example, if you are interested in measuring letter
recognition or honesty, you may not locate any relevant tests through the
subject index. In this case, your best option is to go to the MMY and
use the 'score index,' which would identify tests measuring subareas (e.g.,
honesty, letter recognition).
Once you have a name or author of a test, your chances of locating it are
greatly improved. Again, you could check any of the four test reference books,
but TIP and the MMY have the largest indexes of tests. Title and
author indexes in each of the reference books should refer you to the section
of the book describing the test. (In the case of the MMY or Test
Critiques, you may actually be referred to an earlier volume of the
book for more information).
Directories of test publishers are included in most major testing reference
books (MMY, Tests, TIP). The size and scope of the directory usually
reflects how many tests are included in that book. For example, TIP provides
brief information on the greatest number of commercially available tests and,
thus, has an extensive publishers directory. The Test Collection at Educational
Testing Service (ETS) has a free pamphlet entitled Major U. S. Publishers of
Standardized Tests, which lists the names, addresses, and phone numbers of 28
major test publishers. Call or write to them for your free copy at ETS,
Library, Rosedale Road, Princeton, NJ, 08541, (609) 734-5667.
All of the major test publishers have catalogs listing their own products. The
catalogs are published on an annual or semiannual basis. These catalogs are
frequently the best source of information for the most recent editions of a
test. Information on the cost of materials and scoring, types of scoring
services, and ancillary materials are available through the catalogs. The
catalogs also include information on variations of the test, such as
large-print or foreign language versions. Contact the test publisher to request
their catalog(s).
Commercially available tests are usually purchased through the test publisher.
Publishers hold the copyright to tests they distribute, and they maintain the
copies of tests, test manuals, and scoring keys.
After locating the name, address, or phone number of a test publisher, contact
the publisher with your request for information on a particular test (including
purchase inquiries). Such inquiries should be made directly to the test
publisher. Many publishers have separate policies for individual and
organizational purchases of tests. Individuals may be required to complete a
test purchaser qualifications form that allows a publisher to determine if the
purchaser is qualified and competent to administer and interpret the test.
As mentioned earlier, the four most popular, useful, and easy to locate printed
references for published tests are TIP, MMY, Tests, and Test Critiques.
The following is a brief summary of these references.
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Tests in Print (TIP) Publisher: The Buros Institute for
Mental Measurements, Lincoln, NE. Most current volume: 5th ed. (1999).
What information is here? TIP is a bibliographic encyclopedia of
information on every published (and commercially available) test in psychology
and achievement. Each entry consists of the test title, intended population,
publication date, acronym (if applicable), author, publisher, foreign
adaptations, and references. There are no critical reviews or psychometric
information on the tests; detailed information on individual tests is available
in other reference books such as MMY or Test Critiques. TIP
was created to serve as a master index to the whole Buros Institute reference
series on tests, including the 11 MMYs
and the monograph series.
What tests are included? The only criterion for inclusion is that the
test be in print and available for purchase or use. So TIP
covers a wide range of tests across psychology, education, and achievement. In
all, there are 3,009 entries in the fourth edition.
How do I use it? Tests are listed alphabetically, within subjects.
However, if you know a test title, you can flip to an alphabetical index to
find it. There are five indexes: test title, classified subject, publisher,
name (of authors, reviewers), and a publishers' directory. These five indexes
are handy for locating tests by means other than the title or for accessing
whole groups of tests for making comparisons (e.g., all tests tapping
vocational interests). After you have located a test that interests you, turn
to the MMY for more detailed information on that test, or use the
directory of publishers to contact the test publisher for more
information.
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Mental Measurements Yearbook (MMY) Publisher: The Buros Institute
for Mental Measurements, Lincoln, NE. Most current edition: 14th ed. (2001).
What information is here? In the MMY
, tests are listed alphabetically by title. Each entry provides descriptive
information, such as the test name, intended population, publication dates,
forms and prices, test author, and publisher. It also contains additional
information on the extent to which reliability, validity, norming data, scoring
and reporting services, and foreign language versions are available. Most
entries also include one or more reviews of the test and testing materials
(e.g., manuals) by qualified psychologists.
What tests are included? The criterion for inclusion in the MMY is
that the test be new or revised since the previous yearbook, or be so widely
used as to generate 20 or more references in the literature since the previous
issue. Therefore, you will frequently need to refer to earlier volumes of the MMY
for information on all but very recent or very popular tests. However, the
index in each MMY
will identify the appropriate edition for the information you need.
How do I use it? The introduction contains step-by-step directions for
using the text to locate testing information. If you know the test title, you
can look it up directly through the alphabetical listings. The six indexes
arrange tests by title, acronym, classified subject, publisher, name (author,
reviewer, and published references), and score. These can be used to access
tests about which you have limited information or to access groups of tests
that fit into the same category (e.g., yield the same score or are all
measuring stress).
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Tests Publisher: Pro-Ed, Inc., Austin, TX. Most current
edition: 4th ed. (1997).
What information is here? Tests, like TIP,
is a bibliographic encyclopedia containing information on thousands of testing
instruments in psychology, education, and business. It provides concise
descriptions of tests, with each entry including the test title and author, the
intended population, the tests purpose, the major features, the administration
time, the scoring method, the cost and availability, and the primary publisher.
Also, a scanning line uses coded visual keys to indicate whether the test is
self- or examiner-administered.
Tests does not contain evaluative critiques or data on reliability,
validity, or norms; this information can be found for selected instruments in Test
Critiques.
What tests are included? Tests
was created to provide quick and easy access to all tests available in the
English language. Several thousand tests are included from the areas of
psychology, education, and business.
How do I use it?
The book is divided into three main sections: 'Psychology,' 'Education,' and
'Business,' with each of these divided into subsections. Tests are arranged
alphabetically within each subsection.
Tests has seven indexes, including the test title index, author index,
foreign language availability index, and a publisher/distributor index. Three
indexes identify tests suitable for special populations: the hearing impaired,
visually impaired, and physically impaired. Finally, there is a listing of
out-of-print tests, which shows tests that publishers indicate have recently
gone out-of-print. Use these indexes to locate information on a particular test
or to access whole groups of tests in your area of interest. A publishers
directory, also located in Tests, gives names, addresses, and phone
numbers of publishers to contact for more information or purchasing inquiries.
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Test Critiques Publisher: Pro-Ed, Inc., Austin, TX.
Most current edition: updated annually.
What information is here? This text is designed to be a companion to Tests
and contains supplemental information designated as 'not appropriate for
inclusion in that directory. This includes psychometric information such as
reliability, validity, and norm development. The tri-part entry for each test
includes an Introduction, Practical Applications/Uses, and Technical Aspects,
followed by a critique. The Introduction describes the test in detail,
including information on the authors and publisher and the purpose of the test.
Practical Applications/Uses gives information aimed toward the test user,
including intended population, administration, scoring, and interpretation
procedures. Technical Aspects includes citations from reliability and validity
studies and opinions from experts regarding the technical adequacy of the test.
The text is written for both professionals and students, with technical terms
explained, and includes helpful information not usually found in other
reference books. This makes it a user-friendly resource for students, teachers,
or persons unfamiliar with test terminology.
What tests are included? Tests are chosen for inclusion based on research
on the most frequently used psychological, educational, and business-related
tests. Selections are also made based on surveys of professional organizations
regarding the tests they would most like to see critiqued. This text is updated
annually, with a cumulative index keyed to correspond to Tests
(10th ed. 1994).
How do I use it? Each volume contains a table of contents that lists all
reviewed tests alphabetically, along with the name of the reviewer. Each volume
also contains cumulative indexes organized by test title, test publisher, test
author and reviewer, and subject. This makes it easy to locate information on a
test reviewed in any of the volumes, all in one location. Once you have located
and read the review for any test, contact the publisher for more information
regarding the purchase of the test. Also, because Test Critiques is a
companion to Tests, you can look to the Tests directory for more
information regarding any test described in Test Critiques.
The newest and most comprehensive way to search for information is through the
World Wide Web on the Internet. The Test Locator allows you to access
information from all the sources listed above. It is a joint effort of the ERIC
Clearinghouse on Assessment and Evaluation at the Catholic University of
America, the Library and Reference Services Division of ETS, the Buros
Institute of Mental Measurements at the University of Nebraska, and Pro-Ed, a
publisher of test reviews. The Test Locator
can be accessed through any of the three following web sites:
http://ericae2.educ.cua.edu, http://www.unl.edu/buros, or http://www.ets.org.
What information is here? The Test Locator can search three
areas: (I) The Test Review Locator will allow an individual to enter the
name of a test and references of reviews of the test entered will be listed.
(2) The Test Publisher Locator allows individuals to type in the name of a
publisher and the contact information on that publisher will be available. (3)
The Test Locator
also provides access to the ETS test file, which is a database of over 10,000
published and unpublished tests.
Available Software and Scoring Services for Published Tests
You can find a multitude of computerized testing materials, including a variety
of software products developed for administering, scoring, and interpreting
published tests. There are a couple of helpful directories that can lead you to
the software you need.
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What is "Test Reviews Online”?
At the Buros Center for Testing’s website (www.unl.edu/buros), search engines
allow you to examine a large amount ) of information on tests and testing.
"Test Reviews Online" is a web-based service of the Buros Institute of Mental
Measurements. Test reviews are available to individuals exactly as they appear
in the 9th through 14th Mental Measurements Yearbooks. In addition, regular
updates are provided from our latest test review database. For a small fee,
users may download information for any of approximately 2,000 tests that
include specifics on test purpose, population, publication date, administration
time, and descriptive test critiques.
You can find a multitude of computerized testing materials, including a variety
of software products developed for administering, scoring, and interpreting
published tests. There are a couple of helpful directories that can lead you to
the software you need.
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Psychware Sourcebook Publisher: Metritech, Inc., Champaign, IL.
Editor: Samuel E. Krug, PhD. Most current volume: 4th ed. (1993).
What information is here?
This handy reference identifies and describes over 533 computer-based
assessment tools, including computerized versions of paper-and-pencil tests and
computer-based scoring and interpretation systems. It serves as a directory of
available computer services and contains no reviews or critiques of software or
services. Each item entry provides the test (or instrument) name, supplier,
category (see below), applications, scale restrictions, type and cost of
service, and product description. Also, an appendix showcases sample screens
and sample outputs for many products, lending a realistic preview of services.
A separate section, Additional Resources, contains information to direct
readers to outside sources of information on new products and critiques of
available ones. These resources include journals, newsletters, electronic
bulletin boards, and databases.
What tests are included? Instruments are categorized using the following
classification scheme:
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Career/Vocational;
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Cognitive/Ability;
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Interests/Attitudes;
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Motivation;
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Neuropsychological;
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Personality; and
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Structured Interview.
The 533 products described consist of both computer-based test interpretation
(CBTI) packages and assessment products.
How do I use it?
Seven indexes provide easy access to the wide range of assessment tools
included. The test title index makes it easy to trace a computer-based test
version back to its paper-and-pencil counterpart. Other indexes arrange entries
by product category, product application, service (including hardware
compatibility), and supplier. These are useful in searching for a host of
available services for one particular test (e.g., the MMPI) or in locating
products compatible with your own computer (e.g., Macintosh).
Where can I find it? Ask the reference librarian at your university or
college library. If you cannot locate it, contact the publisher, Metritech,
Inc.
The following publications represent standards, guidelines, and principles that
have been carefully developed by psychologists, educators, and researchers to
achieve and maintain ethical testing practices by the whole community. If you
are interested in locating guidelines on the proper use of tests, you can
consult the following:
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Standards for educational and psychological testing.
(1985). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. (800) 374-2721.
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Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Civil Service Commission, Department
of Labor, & Department of Justice. (1978). Adoption by four agencies of
uniform guidelines on employeeselection procedures. Federal Register, 43 (166),
38290-38315.
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Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Inc. (1987). Principles
for the validation and use of personnel selection procedures (3rd ed.).
College Park, MD. (708) 640-0068.
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Joint Committee on Testing Practices (1988). Code of fair testing practices in
education. National Council on Measurement in Education. (202) 223-9318.
Section 2: Unpublished Psychological Tests and
Measures
What do you do when you need to identify and find instruments in a research area
where no published tests exist?
What do you do when you try to find a specific test that has been used in a
research study, but is not listed as a published test?
What responsibilities do you have when using an unpublished test?
Psychological measures are not limited to published tests; a gold mine of
unpublished (or noncommercial) inventories, checklists, scales, projective
techniques, and other instruments exist in the behavioral sciences literature.
Unfortunately, only a few individuals who work in these areas know that the
instruments exist or where to find them.
Locating these instruments is frustrating if you don't know where to look. Many
researchers, unaware that measures may exist that are suited to their needs,
re-create instruments for their own research. This process is a two-fold waste;
usable instruments lie dormant, and time that could be spent refining existing
measures is instead spent virtually duplicating them. But finding instruments
to suit your needs can be easy if you know where to look.
The following are two of the more popular printed directories of unpublished or
noncommercial tests and measures.
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Directory of Unpublished Experimental Measures Publisher: William
C. Brown Publishers, Dubuque, IA.Editors: Bert A. Goldman & David F.
Mitchell.Most current volume: 7 (1997).
This valuable directory provides researchers and students easy access to
recently developed experimental mental measures, tests, and surveys that are
not commercially available. These measures have been used by other researchers
on topics ranging from educational adjustment and motivation to personality and
perception. The tests are arranged in a 24-category system and are grouped
according to function and content, noting purpose, format, psychometric
information (where available), and related research. The newest category,
Adjustment: Vocation,' identifies articles addressing burnout, vocational
maturity, job-related stress, job frustration, and job satisfaction.
The directory has been updated periodically since Volume 1 was published in
1974. Each volume has a cumulative index which makes it easy to access any of
the 5,363 tests contained across the first six volumes.
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Measures for Psychological Assessment: A Guide to 3,000 Original Sources and
Their Applications Publisher: Institute for Social Research,
Ann Arbor, MI.Editors: K. T. Chun, S. Cobb, & J. R. P. French, Jr. Most
current volume: 1975.
This text provides annotated references to thousands of psychological measures
first appearing in journal articles or other publications. The first section,
'Primary References,' lists each of these 3,000-plus article references, along
with the name of the measure and one or more applications of this measure in
other experimental studies. The 'Applications' section lists over 6,600
additional studies that provide experimental tests or additional uses of the
original measures. Author and subject indexes are included.
This text can help the researcher answer such questions as What empirical
findings have been produced by the use of a given measure? or What additional
information about a measure has been acquired since its publication?
Although it contains a wealth of references to experimental measures and
corresponding research, this text is outdated. It is a helpful resource when
looking for a specific measure appearing in the literature during the 1960s or
early 1970s, but you would want to consult a more recent measure that is
appropriate for your need.
Directories covering unpublished tests also exist in a nonprint format. The
following is a summary of some of the more complete directories that fall into
this category.
The Educational Testing Service (ETS) Test Collection database contains records
on over 10,000 tests and research instruments. These records describe the
instruments and provides availability information. ETS Library and Reference
Services Division prepares the descriptions. The ERIC Clearinghouse on
Assessment and Evaluation maintains the database and hosts the Search System.
The title, author, publication date, and source appear in the record. An
abstract describing the instrument, intended population, and uses accompanies
the record. Subject terms give the age and grade level information as well as
ERIC Thesaurus terms that describe the test. For more information, call or
write: ETS Test Collection, Educational Testing Service, Princeton, NJ 08541,
(609) 734-5689.
Available through the Test Collection at the ETS, Tests in Microfiche offers
information on a multitude of educational and psychological tests cited in the
literature, but unavailable commercially. This includes both never-published
and out-of-print tests. Users who purchase the microfiche may reproduce tests
for their own use.
Currently, there are over 800 tests included, with new sets of tests prepared
annually and added to the cumulative set. These can be purchased as a set or by
individual title, and an annotated index is available with each set. Also
available is the Cumulative Index to Tests in Microfiche (1975-1987), which
indexes all tests available for the first 13 sets of Tests in Microfiche. This
reference is now available at many college and university libraries. For more
information, call or write: ETS Test Collection, Educational Testing Service,
Princeton, NJ, 08541, (609) 734-5686.
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Health and Psychosocial Instruments (HAPI)
Many measures created or modified for specific studies appear in journals, but
never become commercially available. This computerized database (formerly known
as the Health Instrument File) publicizes their existence and allows
researchers and students to benefit from past work and avoid re-creating
existing instruments. HAPI uses controlled vocabulary descriptors from
APAs Thesaurus of Psychological Index Terms and the National Library of
Medicine's Medical Subject Headings (MeSH).
The database, which is updated quarterly, contains over 15,000 instruments,
most appearing in the literature between 985 and the present. One particularly
useful feature is that reliability and validity can be used as keywords to
access instruments with tested psychometric properties. You could, for
instance, search for all instruments in your area with demonstrated test-retest
reliability, construct validity, or both.
HAPI is available at many college libraries through BRS Information
Technologies. Now, it is also available on CD-ROM. The CD-ROM version is
updated twice a year and costs $265 for an initial copy and a semiannual
update. For more information, contact: Evelyn Perloff, Behavior Measurement
Database Services, P.O. Box 110287, Pittsburgh, PA 15232-0787, (412) 687-6850.
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Using the PsycINFO Database
Suppose you are interested in group dynamics and want to locate a measure of
group cohesion to use for your project entitled Cohesiveness Among Fraternities
and Sororities. None of the tests or surveys you found in the directories or
databases seem suitable for your study.
There is a chance that the measure you need is in the published literature, but
has not yet been referenced in any of these directories. You can locate more
tests through a literature search at your library. Ask your reference librarian
about PsycINFO, a bibliographic database that indexes all published research in
psychology since 1967, Psychological Abstracts, the print counterpart to
PsycINFO, or PsycLIT, the CD-ROM version of PsycINFO. Using keywords to denote
your interest areas, you can use the database to find citations for articles in
your interest area. PsycINFO, Psychological Abstracts, and PsycLIT provide
abstracts for each article and will mention if the author developed a measure
in the context of the study. For articles that appear relevant, use the
citation to locate the study within the literature. (More information on
PsycINFO is available under the PsycINFO
menu pick in this Gopher server.)
These citations also include the university or organizational affiliation of
the authors, along with an address where you can forward correspondence
regarding the article. Write to the author and ask for more information on the
test or measure.
Depending on your research area, you may want to consult reference sources in
fields related to psychology. For example, the Educational Resources
Information Center (ERIC) of the American Institutes for Research produces a
database similar to PsycINFO that indexes research published in the educational
literature. In addition, the ERIC Clearinghouse on Tests, Measurement, and
Evaluation (ERIC/TM) processes information on approximately 2,000 documents and
2,000 journal articles per year, specifically in the area of testing and
evaluation. Ask your reference librarian for more information about such
alternative sources.
Finding copies of unpublished tests and measures, or information about them, can
be easy if you follow the tips in this document. Remember that the PsycINFO
database is an excellent source of information on the very latest developments
in psychology, including testing.
Responsibilities of Test Users
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:
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Journal articles list the authors 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.
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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.
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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.
Still have a question about finding tests? Contact the Testing Office of
the APA Science Directorate: testing@apa.org.
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