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The Mental Measurement Yearbooks (MMY) classify and describe commercially available psychological tests. Published every few years, each MMY volume includes a description of the test and a few pages written by expert reviewers describing the tests’ validity and reliability. The purpose of MMY is to help users find, evaluate and use tests as psychological assessment tools.
In order to effectively use the MMY volumes you will also need a copy of Tests in Print IX, which indexes all 20 volumes of the MMY. Each edition of MMY reviews only a selection of approximately 200 tests that are new or recently revised. Some tests are not reviewed at all in MMY, either, as they must be submitted by the test's publisher to the Buros Center for Testing (the MMY publisher) in order to be reviewed.
Tests in Print VII and the Mental Measurements Yearbooks are located in the Grace Library's Ready Reference area.
Mental Measurements Yearbook with Tests in Print is also available as a database, through EBSCO. The database can be accessed from this link or by navigating from the A-Z Databases page.
When you know the exact name of the test that you are interested in, start with Tests in Print IX. Tests in Print volumes are cumulative indices that will point the searcher to the Mental Measurements Yearbook (MMY) volume to find a test review.
The bulk of Tests in Print is the Tests and Reviews section, which orders entries alphabetically like an encyclopedia, and each entry is numbered. The test names and numbers are indicated in the header at the top of the page you will be able to peruse your way to the entry with your specific test.
Each entry in Tests in Print IX lists the test's name, purpose, targeted population, publication date, acronym, the scores (variables that the answer key is comprised of), how the test is administered, price, approximate time for completion, author(s), publisher and lastly the cross reference(s).
The cross references are significant for the searcher as it indicates where to find the reviews. For example, if you have a cross reference 16:211, you are cross referenced to MMY volume 16: test number 211. Cross references that begin with 'T', for example T4:2274, indicate that there is an entry in a previous Tests in Print edition, in this case the 4th edition, and the test number 2274. It is recommended that you investigate all cross references, however, begin with the newest (highest numbered) MMY edition.
Buros also provides an alphabetical list of all tests reviewed in MMY and TIP. This list also provides information on the volume in which the test review is located. The link to Buros' list of published test reviews can be found here.
Consult either a volume of the Mental Measurement Yearbook (MMY) or the Tests in Print IX to begin searching by topic.
Use either the Classified Subject Index, which describes the overall topic or purpose of the test, or the Score Index, which describes the individual variables that make up the answer key to the test.
Both volumes refer to tests within itself; using Tests in Print IX refers to test numbers in its own volume, which in turn will cross reference the test number in a MMY volume where the full review is found; and using MMY will reference a test number and full review in its own volume.
There are thousands of entries listed under the Score Index. It can take some creativity to find appropriate topics as they are taken out of their greater context. Some examples are the score Nonconforming, which refers to a behavioral medicine diagnostic, or the score Openness to New Ideas, which refers to test on entrepreneurial aptitude. Using the Score Index involves persistence on the searcher's part because you will likely need to try several different concepts.
Look up your test number in the appropriate MMY volume(s). MMY does not provide a copy of the test, only reviews.
Template of the reference:
Reviewer, R. R. (date). [Test review of <insert Test Title>]. In A. A. Editor, B. B. Editor, & C. C. Editor (Eds.), The <spell out number> mental measurements yearbook (pp. xxx-xxx). Lincoln, NE: Buros Center for Testing.
Example of a reference:
Hattrup, K. (2014). [Test review of Assess Expert System]. In J. F. Carlson, K. F. Geisinger, & J. L. Jonson (Eds.), The nineteenth mental measurements yearbook (pp. 17-19). Lincoln, NE: Buros Center for Testing.
For more information, visit Buros' How-to-Cite
