Finding a validated instrument and getting permission
Finding a questionnaire in a published article is a starting point, not a complete instrument selection process. You need the actual instrument, its scoring instructions, evidence supporting its use, and any applicable permission or licensing terms.
“Validated” should not be treated as a permanent quality stamp that applies to every population and purpose. For a multi-item measure, the meaning and structure of the proposed score need support. Reliability alone does not establish that a score represents the intended concept. [1]
Start with the construct
Decide whether you are measuring knowledge, confidence, behavior, burden, experience, or another concept. Search for the concept and population together. Follow relevant studies back to the instrument’s development work, manual, or owner rather than copying only the items displayed in an appendix.
| What to review | What you should be able to explain |
|---|---|
| Purpose and population | Why the intended interpretation fits your participants and setting. |
| Validity evidence | How item content, score structure, or relationships with other measures support that interpretation. |
| Reliability evidence | Whether scores or ratings are sufficiently consistent for the proposed use. |
| Scoring | Which items form each score, reversals, allowable missing items, and score direction. |
| Practical fit | Reading demands, completion time, language version, and suitability for repeated measurement. |
| Permission | What the owner permits for reproduction, electronic delivery, translation, modification, and publication. |
This is an editorial planning checklist, not a formal measurement quality rating instrument.
Check fit before choosing a familiar tool
Hypothetical example. You find a confidence questionnaire used with students and want to evaluate experienced clinic nurses. Its existence does not establish that it measures demonstrated skill or that the same score interpretation fits this group.
You might still use it to examine confidence if its content and available evidence fit that purpose. For skill, you would need a different assessment or a more limited claim. Choosing the tool first and rewriting the outcome around it can create the proxy problem described in The proxy trap: When easy data measures the wrong thing.
Preserve the instrument you intend to use
Before changing wording, deleting items, adding response categories, or creating a new total, consult the scoring guidance and owner. A shorter or friendlier version may no longer support the original interpretation. Translation and electronic administration also deserve deliberate review rather than an assumption of equivalence.
Keep a record of the version, manual, permission correspondence, and scoring decisions. Public availability does not by itself settle reuse rights. Some instruments permit specified uses without an individual request; others require written permission or a license. Verify the actual terms for your intended use rather than assuming one rule applies to all tools.
Your next decision
Prepare a one-paragraph instrument justification and attach the scoring instructions and use terms for your advisor. Resolve unclear permissions with the owner or the appropriate institutional office. Then keep the approved version consistent across time as described in Pre-post surveys: Same instrument, linked responses.
Sources
[1] American Educational Research Association, American Psychological Association, & National Council on Measurement in Education. (2014). Standards for educational and psychological testing. American Educational Research Association.