Buros Center for Testing

I think most of us working in the Career Development field would know of the Buros Center for Testing, which - since the founder's death (Oscar Buros is Dead, 1978) - has been based at the University of Nevada (Thorndike, 1990). What is great is that we can find out if tests we are proposing to use have been reviewed by Buros (here; 2023a).

There is also a list of the triennial publication, the Mental Measurements Yearbook (often known as "MMY"), here (Buros, 2023c). At that link we can find out which test has been published in which edition. The latest issue is the 21st from 2021, presumably with the 22nd edition due out in 2024.

However, in Aotearoa New Zealand, the texts cost around NZD$350 each landed, so are quite pricey. I tend to buy these second hand via AbeBooks (here), once the cost has come down, and I can get a copy into the country for a more reasonable price. If there is a test I want to see in between time, I can pay USD$15 to purchase a copy of the review directly (here; Buros, 2023b). Additionally, if we still have library access at our Alumni Library, It can be worth contacting them to see if they can supply us a scan of a particular test. For very old test reviews, we can also go to the Internet Archive (here).

The process used by Buros is as follows:

"(1) identifying tests to be reviewed, (2) obtaining tests and preparing test descriptions, (3) determining whether tests meet review criteria, (4) identifying appropriate reviewers, (5) selecting reviewers, (6) sending instructions and materials to reviewers, (7) checking reviews for factual accuracy, (8) editing content of reviews, (9) copy-editing and updating reviews, (10) obtaining reviewer approval, and (11) seeking comments from publishers" (Plake & Conoley, 1995, p. 122).

Each test review averages between one and three pages, and usually supplies the "black" information following, with the "grey" being supplied where possible (Thorndike, 1999, p. 51):

1. The name of the test.
2. The author’s stated purpose for the test, usually taken from a statement in the test manual.
3. The population for which the author considers the test appropriate.
4. The date(s) of publication (first and most recent editions).
5. The common acronym for the test.
6. The scores yielded by the test.
7. Method of administration (group or individual).
8. Price data, including the date for which the figures apply.
9. Time required for administration.
10. Author of the test.
11. Publisher of the test. (Addresses for all publishers of tests included in this volume are listed in the Publisher Index.)
12. Cross references to reviews and entries in other MMY publications.
13. References to the test found by Buros Institute staff.
14. The name and affiliation of the first reviewer.
15. The first review.
16. References supplied by the first reviewer.
17. The name, affiliation, review, and references of the second reviewer.

Buros relies on two key constraints to test: that experienced reviewers will volunteer their time to do the mahi; and that the organisation producing the test will have the gumption to send it into the Buros Center when they call for it (Plake & Conoley, 1995), so it can be independently reviewed.

"Presenting their tests for review is an important part of a test publisher’s obligation to the professional community. Reputable test publishers should welcome critical professional reviews of their products and should send copies of all relevant materials to the Buros Institute as soon after publication as possible. A favorable review in the Mental Measurements Yearbook should be seen as something worth including in test publicity, something to be sought and highly prized. If a test is more than 2 or 3 years old, prospective test users should expect to see MMY reviews and view with extreme caution any test for which the publisher cannot produce them" (Thorndike, 1999, p. 52).

I too would think that the independent review would be a major selling point, but each triennial edition contains a significant list of 'tests called for', yet not included in the reviews.

Sam

References:

Buros Center for Testing. (2023a). Tests reviewed in The Mental Measurements Yearbook series. https://buros.org/tests-reviewed-mental-measurements-yearbook-series

Buros Center for Testing. (2023b). Test Reviews Online. https://marketplace.unl.edu/buros/

Buros Center for Testing. (2023c). The Mental Measurements Yearbooks. https://buros.org/mental-measurements-yearbook

Carlson, J. F., & Geisinger, K. F. (2012). Test reviewing at the Buros Center for Testing. International Journal of Testing, 12(2), 122-135. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15305058.2012.661003

Internet Library. (2023). Search "Mental Models Yearbook" . https://archive.org/search.php?query=%22Mental+Measurements+Yearbook%22&sin=

Oscar Buros is Dead, Rutgers Professor. (21 March 1978). The New York Times, p. 38. https://www.nytimes.com/1978/03/21/archives/oscar-buros-is-dead-rutgers-professor-expert-on-psychological.html

Plake, B. S., & Conoley, J. C. (1995). Using Buros Institute of Mental Measurements Materials in Counseling and Therapy [call number: ED391987 1995-00-00]. https://ia801306.us.archive.org/15/items/ERIC_ED391987/ERIC_ED391987.pdf

Thorndike, R. M. (1999). Book Review: Conoley, JC, & Impara, JC (Eds.). (1995). The Twelfth Mental Measurements Yearbook. Lincoln, NB: The Buros Institute of Mental Measurements. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 17(1), 50-55. https://doi.org/10.1177/073428299901700105