Accessibility of Proprietary Databases and Resources
Sigma and the Sigma Repository do not subscribe to the external resources, databases, or other services listed below. It may be possible to access print resources, proprietary databases and subscription services via your academic or institutional subscriptions. Please check with your academic, subject liaison, or institutional staff librarian to determine your access capabilities.
Availability of Instruments and Tools
Most instruments, surveys, scales, questionnaires, etc. are not openly available. As a nurse researcher, faculty, student, or practitioner, you may find samples or select portions of instruments in the text of articles and reports, but not the full instrument. Plan to request your desired instrument from the author(s) or publisher(s) (i.e., the copyright holder). Build in the necessary time for this important step. The Sigma Repository will not be able to assist you with this process.
Most of these tests/tools are copyrighted, so you may not be allowed to copy, disseminate, adapt, and/or re-use the tools without express written permission from the author(s) or copyright holder(s). Also note that adaptation of certain tools may render the results invalid. Remember to ask the author/copyright holder if such reuse is possible or advisable.
Requesting Permission for Use/Reuse
Determining the copyright holder (i.e., author(s) or publisher(s)) of a specific tool and contacting that party is not a simple process. It takes time and perseverance. The Sigma Repository does not assist with this process.
If the author has signed away copyright to a funder or publisher, then that party must be contacted to request permission.
Try the following steps:
- Journal articles and repository submissions usually list author contact information on the first page of an article or the item's entry record.
- If the email address listed in the publication is no longer valid, try doing an Internet search. Also try contacting the listed coauthors even if they aren't mentioned as the author contact of record.
- Look in directories of scientific and professional associations for contact information.
- If you are unable to contact an author, contact the publisher of the original material to request permission.
Databases
(Live links are not provided for these proprietary databases as each subscribing institution will have its own proprietary link for access. This list is for informational purposes only. Please access these databases through your academic or organizational portals, if applicable. Contact your academic/staff librarian with access questions as not all libraries will have subscriptions to every database on this list.)
- Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL)
- ETS TestLink
- Health and Psychosocial Instruments (HaPi)
- Health Services and Sciences Research Resources (HSSRR)
- Mental Measurements Yearbook with Tests in Print
- PubMed
- PsycINFO
- PsycTESTS
Database Search Tips
Try one or more of these tips to improve your searches in the various databases -
- Select 'Research Instrument,' and/or 'Questionnaire/Scale' under Publication Type in CINAHL.
- Some databases have 'Instruments,' 'Surveys,' etc. in their filter choices.
- Select the 'Full Text' option whenever possible.
- Use keywords such as "questionnaire," "Survey", "Scale", or the name of an instrument you are interested in.
Print Resources
- Directory of Unpublished Experimental Mental Measures
- Instruments for Clinical Health-Care Research
- The Instruments of Psychiatric Research
- Measuring Health: A Guide to Rating Scales and Questionnaires
- The Mental Measurements Yearbook
- Tests in Print
- Thesaurus of Psychological Index Terms