Selecting Psychological Tests: A Guide for Counselors
This paper provides a practical overview of the major reference tools and considerations that counselors use when selecting psychological tests and assessments. It surveys four widely used reference directories—Tests in Print (TIP), the Mental Measurements Yearbook (MMY), Tests, and Test Critiques—as well as relevant online resources. The paper then outlines key client-specific factors a counselor must evaluate before choosing a test, including the construct being measured, the client's age group, educational level, and any behavioral or mental conditions that may affect test validity. Finally, it explains how companion directories and score indexes can help confirm that a specific instrument is appropriate for a given client's needs.
- Introduction to Psychological Test Directories: Overview of psychology test reference libraries and classification
- Major Reference Books for Psychological Testing: Descriptions of TIP, MMY, Tests, and Test Critiques
- Online Resources for Psychological Testing: APA website and Psych Central as supplementary tools
- Key Factors in Selecting a Test for a Client: Client age, school level, purpose, and mental status
- Confirming That a Specific Test Is Appropriate: Using MMY score indexes and test reviews for confirmation
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What makes this paper effective
- Clearly organized around a Q&A structure that mirrors real counselor decision-making, moving from locating tests to evaluating and confirming their appropriateness.
- Provides concrete, specific detail about each directory (publisher, entry contents, scope), giving the reader actionable information rather than vague generalities.
- Distinguishes between bibliographic tools (TIP, Tests) and in-depth evaluative tools (MMY, Test Critiques), helping readers understand how the resources complement one another.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates systematic comparative description: it introduces each reference tool using a consistent set of attributes (publisher, entry structure, scope, and purpose) so that readers can readily compare them. This parallel structure is an effective technique for organizing reference-heavy expository writing.
Structure breakdown
The paper is divided into three functional sections corresponding to the original prompt questions: (1) an overview of directories and online resources for locating tests, (2) a numbered list of client-specific selection criteria, and (3) a brief explanation of how to confirm test appropriateness using detailed companion directories. The conclusion integrates the bibliographic and evaluative tools into a single workflow. The paper is appropriate for undergraduate counseling or psychology coursework and uses APA citation style.
Introduction to Psychological Test Directories
A number of psychology test directories are available in reference libraries to assist counselors in selecting appropriate psychological tests and assessments. These directories typically organize psychology tests according to subject matter, with separate sections for areas such as self-concept, cognitive ability, and personality traits. Each reference book uses its own classification system, which must be taken into account when consulting multiple sources.
For each entry, there is typically a general profile of the test along with related links. The depth of these entries varies depending on whether the book is a bibliography or an in-depth directory. The four most widely used reference book titles are Tests, Tests in Print (TIP), the Mental Measurements Yearbook (MMY), and Test Critiques.
Major Reference Books for Psychological Testing
Tests in Print (TIP) is a bibliographic encyclopedia covering every published and commercially available test in psychology and achievement. It is published by the Buros Institute for Mental Measurements. Each test entry includes the test title, intended population, publication date, acronym, author, publisher, foreign adaptations, and references. TIP was created to serve as a master index to the entire Buros Institute reference series, including the fifteen editions of the MMY and the associated monograph series.
The Mental Measurements Yearbook (MMY) lists tests alphabetically by title and is also published by the Buros Institute for Mental Measurements. Each entry provides descriptive information such as the test name, intended population, publication dates, available forms and prices, test author, and publisher. Entries also include additional information indicating the extent to which reliability data, validity data, normative data, scoring and reporting services, and foreign-language versions are available. Most entries include one or more reviews of the test and its supporting materials by qualified psychologists.
Tests is a bibliographic encyclopedia containing information on thousands of testing instruments in psychology, education, and business. It is published by Pro-Ed. The volume provides concise descriptions of each test, with every entry including the test title and author, the intended population, the test's purpose, major features, administration time, scoring method, cost and availability, and the primary publisher. A scanning line using coded visual keys also indicates whether the test is self-administered or examiner-administered.
Test Critiques is likewise published by Pro-Ed and is designed as a companion to Tests. It contains supplemental information that was deemed not appropriate for inclusion in Tests itself, particularly psychometric details such as reliability, validity, and norm development. Each entry is organized in three parts: an Introduction, Practical Applications/Uses, and Technical Aspects, followed by a formal critique. The Introduction describes the test in detail, including background on the authors and publisher and the purpose of the test. The Practical Applications/Uses section provides information aimed at the test user, covering the intended population, administration procedures, scoring, and interpretation. The Technical Aspects section includes citations from reliability and validity studies as well as expert opinions on the technical adequacy of the test.
Online Resources for Psychological Testing
Several websites are dedicated to psychology and psychological testing. One of the most important for the field in general is the American Psychological Association (APA), which offers a number of valuable resources on psychological testing. These include a Frequently Asked Questions section with guidance on the correct use of personality tests and essential advice on appropriate attribution procedures for unpublished personality tests.
Another valuable source for individual online psychology tests is Psych Central, a magazine-style website devoted to trends in psychology. This site is particularly useful for finding newer psychological tests that have not yet been included in the print directories listed above, which are not updated annually. It is also helpful for identifying emerging trends in psychology and the assessment resources being developed to explore those trends.
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