Measurement tools and instruments may be published as part of journal articles or as standalone items (either freely available or available for purchase). Others may be described in the literature but not published; in that case, contact the author or developer of the instrument for permission to use the instrument. Here are some other strategies to find instruments:
- Search CINAHL and limit to publication type = Research Instrument
- Browse articles in a journal like Journal of Nursing Measurement (full-text available through ILL request only) to see if they include sample instruments (if they do, the instrument will usually be in the appendix to the article)
- Find lists of instruments indexed in a book and then search for individual instrument names in databases or on the web. Two books to try:
The American Psychological Association website also has some tips for finding research instruments:
- Article, Finding the Right Tools, Rebecca Clay
- FAQ, Finding Information About Psychological Tests
