Measurement Tools/Research Instruments
Tips on how to find information about research instruments such as questionnaires.
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Scenario
A doctoral candidate in the School of Nursing is looking for an instrument to use in her research that will measure quality of life (QoL) in Chinese-American patients in Seattle with angina.
Where can you find an instrument to measure QoL in angina patients?
Preliminary Questions
- What population do you wish to assess?
- Do you have any test selection criteria, for example specific diseases or conditions?
- How hard is it to get a copy? Are there costs?
Set Up Test Selection Criteria
- Does it measure what you want it to measure?
- How are you planning to use it?
- Is it appropriate for your subjects?
- Is it available? Is there a cost? Is it copyrighted?
- How often has it been used or cited?
- Has it been reviewed?
- Have you seen a sample?
- Other characteristics:
- purpose,
- age or grade level,
- format,
- length of time,
- language,
- statistical validity & reliability,
- administration,
- scoring services, etc.
Browse Test Sources
- A Quality of life measure refers to "health-related quality of life based on those aspects of a person's overall well-being that are affected by health status or health care." (Gold MR. Cost-effectiveness in health and medicine. New York:Oxford University Press,1996)
- Search traditional databases for tests on Quality of Life as a variable as in the Find Test by Variable scenario.
- Use your test criteria in Step 1 to make your selection.
RAND Health Surveys and Tools
Detailed Description | Search Tips
Practical surveys and tools for improving quality of care.