ScholarGate
Explore
LibraryBookshelfDeskPreflightAssistant
Your tools
Compare
Build your library

Save methods, organize collections, and carry them to your desk.

Create account
Library / BrowseSearch the library…⌘K
Sign in
The library

Explore science by method, field & evidence.

One catalogue of research methods — learn how each one works, when to use it, and what it can’t do.

Search methods, fields, techniques…
8,178 methods11 fields7 method families40 languages
Science atlasMap the structure of science before you use it.Fields · methods · evidence routesExplore the map
FieldHealth & Medicine716Psychology570Business & Finance410Engineering330Life Sciences263Education261Research Practice248
ScholarGate

A content-first reference library for research methods — what each one is, how it works, and where it comes from.

Open data (CC-BY)

Explore

  • Library
  • Search the library…
  • Browse by field
  • Fields
  • Journey
  • Compare
  • Which method?

Reference

  • Subjects
  • Atlas
  • Glossary
  • Methodology
  • Philosophy

Your tools

  • Bookshelf
  • Desk
  • Chat

Company

  • About
  • Pricing
  • Contact
  • Suggest a method

Entries are compiled from published sources for reference. Verifying the accuracy and suitability of any information for your own use remains your responsibility.

© 2026 ScholarGate · A research-method reference library
  • Privacy
  • Cookies
  • Terms
  • Delete account
Natural Sciences236
Social Sciences185
Environment & Sustainability160
Law30
MethodStatistics1,836AI & ML1,661Decision Sciences932Research Methods1,354Measurement1,745Causal & Evidence532Research Practice118
425 methods in Psychology · MeasurementClear
Methods at the intersection of your two filters.
SortPopularityA–ZZ–ANewest
psychometrics

2PL IRT

The two-parameter logistic item response model, formalised by Frederic Lord (1980), describes the probability that a respondent answers a binary test item correctly as a smooth S-shaped function of the respondent's latent ability. By estimating a separate discrimination parameter for each item alongside a difficulty pa

2 sources1980
psychometrics

3PL IRT

The three-parameter logistic (3PL) model, introduced by Allan Birnbaum in 1968, is an item response theory model that describes the probability of a correct response to a binary test item as a function of three item-level parameters — difficulty, discrimination, and a lower asymptote representing guessing — and one per

2 sources1968
bereavement psychology

AAG

The Adult Attitude to Grief Scale (AAG) is a measure assessing individual beliefs, attitudes, and values regarding grief and bereavement. Developed by Richard K. Barrett, the AAG captures how adults conceptualize grief—including beliefs about whether grief is acceptable, whether emotions should be expressed, whether se

1 source1994
neuropsychology

Abbreviated Mental Test Score

The Abbreviated Mental Test (AMT) is a brief, 10-item cognitive screening instrument developed by Hodkinson in 1972 and originally published in Age and Ageing. It was specifically designed to quickly assess cognitive function in older hospitalized patients, detecting delirium and dementia in acute hospital settings. Th

3 sources1972
educational psychology

Academic Burnout Scale

The Academic Burnout Scale measures three dimensions of student burnout: emotional exhaustion, cynicism toward studies, and reduced academic efficacy. Developed by Schaufeli and colleagues in 2002, it adapts the Maslach Burnout Inventory framework to the academic context, providing researchers and educators with a vali

2 sources2002
educational psychology

Academic Help-Seeking Scale

The Academic Help-Seeking Scale measures students' inclination to seek academic help, their preferred sources of assistance (instructors, peers, tutors), and barriers that inhibit help-seeking (fear of judgment, embarrassment, preference for independence). Developed by Karabenick and colleagues in the 1990s, the AHSS r

2 sources1990
educational psychology

Academic Integrity Scale

The Academic Integrity Scale measures students' attitudes, values, and likelihood of engaging in academic dishonesty including cheating, plagiarism, and unauthorized collaboration. Multiple validated versions exist, each assessing different facets of academic integrity such as personal integrity commitment, perceived c

2 sources2000
educational psychology

Academic Motivation Scale

The Academic Motivation Scale (AMS) is a 28-item self-report instrument developed by Vallerand et al. (1992) to assess the quality of students' academic motivation. It distinguishes between intrinsic motivation (motivation for knowledge, accomplishment, and stimulation), extrinsic motivation (external regulation, intro

2 sources1992
educational psychology

Academic Resilience Scale

The Academic Resilience Scale measures the capacity of students to withstand and recover from academic adversity, including setbacks, failures, and difficult transitions. Developed by Cassidy in 2016, the ARS-30 conceptualizes resilience as a dynamic, multidimensional process involving perseverance, adaptive help-seeki

2 sources2016
educational psychology

Academic Self-Efficacy Scale

The Academic Self-Efficacy Scale (ASES) measures students' beliefs about their capability to succeed in academic tasks. Grounded in Bandura's social cognitive theory, the instrument assesses perceived competence in diverse academic domains—understanding lectures, completing assignments, performing on exams, and engagin

2 sources1977
clinical psychology

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a values-based, process-oriented psychotherapy developed by Steven C. Hayes and colleagues that helps individuals create meaningful lives while living with difficult thoughts, feelings, and sensations. Using mindfulness, values clarification, and behavioral commitment, ACT rep

2 sources1999
social psychology

Acculturation Rating Scale

The Acculturation Rating Scale for Mexican Americans (ARSMA) is a self-report measure designed to assess the degree to which Mexican American and Mexican immigrant individuals adopt or maintain cultural practices, values, and identity. Originally developed by Cuéllar, Harris, and Jasso in 1980 and revised as ARSMA-II i

1 source1995
neuropsychology

Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination

The Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination (ACE) is a brief yet comprehensive clinician-administered cognitive battery designed to assess multiple cognitive domains and differentiate between types of dementia. Originally developed by Mathuranath and colleagues at Cambridge University in 2000, the ACE was created to addres

3 sources2000
psychiatry

Addiction Severity Index

The ASI is a multidimensional, clinician-administered semi-structured interview assessing severity of substance use disorder and related psychosocial problems across seven domains: medical, employment, drug use, alcohol use, legal, family/social, and psychiatric. Developed by McLellan and colleagues in 1980 and refined

3 sources1980
clinical psychology

Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale

The ASRS-v1.1 is an 18-item self-report screening scale for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in adults, developed by Kessler and colleagues in 2005 under World Health Organization auspices. A brief 6-item version provides rapid initial screening. The scale has become standard first-step screening in primary car

1 source2005
positive psychology

Adult Dispositional Hope Scale

The Adult Dispositional Hope Scale, developed by C. Rick Snyder in 1991, is a 12-item measure assessing hope as a cognitive motivational system composed of two independent dimensions: Agency (the motivation and determination to pursue goals) and Pathways (the ability to generate routes to achieve those goals). Grounded

1 source1991
trauma psychology

Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire

The ACE Questionnaire is a 10-item instrument assessing exposure to adverse experiences during childhood, including abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction. Originally developed by Felitti and colleagues at Kaiser Permanente in 1998 as part of the landmark Adverse Childhood Experiences Study, the ACE Score quantifies

2 sources1998
social psychology

Affect Misattribution Procedure

The Affect Misattribution Procedure (AMP), introduced by Payne, Cheng, Govorun, and Stewart in 2005, is an implicit measure of attitudes built on a simple cognitive error: people misattribute the feeling evoked by one stimulus to another. On each trial a brief affective prime (such as a Black or White face, or a positi

2 sources2005
clinical psychology

Affective Lability Scale

The ALS is a 54-item self-report measure of affective lability—rapid, unpredictable shifts in mood and anxiety states. Developed by Harvey, Greenberg, and Serper in 1989, it distinguishes normal emotional responsiveness from pathological mood instability. Affective lability is recognized as feature of bipolar disorder,

1 source1989
political psychology

Affective Polarization Measurement

Affective polarization measurement quantifies the gap between how positively people feel toward their own political party (the in-party) and how negatively they feel toward the opposing party (the out-party). Iyengar, Sood and Lelkes (2012) showed that this affective divide has grown sharply even where issue positions

2 sources2012
social psychology

Affective Priming Task

The affective priming task, developed by Hermans, De Houwer, and Eelen in 1994, demonstrates that stimulus evaluation is automatic and goal-independent. Like evaluative priming it pairs a valenced prime with a valenced target, but instead of asking participants to judge the target's valence it asks them simply to prono

2 sources1994
bereavement psychology

AGS

The Anticipatory Grief Scale (AGS) is a measure developed by Theut, Jordan, and colleagues in 1990 to assess grief responses in individuals facing impending loss—such as family members caring for a terminally ill loved one or anticipating a predicted death. The AGS captures the emotional burden, depression, existential

1 source1990
psychiatry

Alcohol Dependence Scale

The ADS is a 25-item self-report scale designed to measure the severity of alcohol dependence symptoms according to the alcohol dependence syndrome concept. Developed by Skinner and Allen in 1982, it focuses on dependence-specific features (withdrawal, tolerance, loss of control, continued use despite harm) rather than

3 sources1982
neuropsychology

Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive

The Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive (ADAS-Cog) is a clinician-administered cognitive assessment instrument designed specifically to measure cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease. Developed by Rosen, Mohs, and Davis in 1984 and published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, the ADAS-Cog has become th

3 sources1984
psychometrics

Anchor-Based Minimal Important Difference

The anchor-based method for establishing Minimal Clinically Important Difference (MCID) is a technique for determining the smallest change in a patient-reported outcome (PRO) that patients or clinicians perceive as meaningful or important. Pioneered by Guyatt, Jaeschke, and Singer in 1989, this approach anchors changes

3 sources1989
political psychology

Anti-Immigrant Prejudice Scale

The Anti-Immigrant Prejudice Scale, developed by Thomas Pettigrew and Roel Meertens in 1995, measures prejudice toward immigrants along two dimensions: blatant prejudice, which is hot, close, and direct, expressing open rejection and perceived threat, and subtle prejudice, which is cool, distant, and indirect, expressi

2 sources1995
psychiatry

Athens Insomnia Scale

The AIS is an 8-item self-report scale designed to assess insomnia severity in adolescents and adults, based on ICD-10 diagnostic criteria for insomnia disorder. Developed by Soldatos and colleagues in 2000, it is widely used in European primary care, psychiatry, and sleep medicine for screening and severity assessment

3 sources2000
sport psychology

Athletic Identity Measurement Scale

The AIMS is a 10-item questionnaire assessing the degree to which being an athlete is central to an individual's self-concept and identity. Developed by Brewer, Van Raalte, and Linder in 1993, the AIMS has become the standard instrument for measuring athletic identity and is widely used to predict athlete coping respon

2 sources1993
social psychology

Attachment Style Questionnaire

The Attachment Style Questionnaire is a self-report instrument measuring adult romantic attachment patterns based on attachment theory. Developed following Hazan and Shaver's seminal 1987 work extending John Bowlby's attachment theory to adult romantic relationships, the ASQ assesses individual differences in attachmen

2 sources1987
political psychology

Authoritarian Dynamic Measurement

The authoritarian-dynamic approach, developed by Stenner (2005) and Feldman (2003), measures authoritarianism as a latent predisposition toward favoring social conformity and order over individual autonomy and difference, typically assessed with four forced-choice child-rearing values items rather than attitude stateme

2 sources2005
child psychiatry

Autism Spectrum Quotient

The Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) is a brief self- or observer-report measure of autism-spectrum traits in adolescents and adults. Developed by Simon Baron-Cohen and colleagues in 2001, the original 50-item version (AQ-50) quantifies propensity toward autism across five domains: social skills, attention to detail, atte

2 sources2001
child psychiatry

Barkley Adult ADHD Rating Scale

The Barkley Adult ADHD Rating Scale (BAARS-IV) is a 27-item self- or observer-report measure of ADHD symptoms and executive function deficits in adolescents and adults. Developed by Russell Barkley and colleagues, the BAARS operationalizes ADHD beyond the traditional inattention and hyperactivity domains to include exe

2 sources2011
clinical psychology

BES

The BES is a 16-item self-report questionnaire designed specifically to measure the behavioural and emotional features of binge eating in obese and non-obese populations. Developed by Gormally and colleagues in 1982, the BES uses a forced-choice format and focuses on the subjective experience of loss of control, severi

3 sources1982
forensic psychology

BHS

The Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) is a 20-item self-report instrument developed by Aaron Beck and colleagues (1974) to measure the degree of hopelessness and pessimism about the future in adolescents and adults. It is grounded in Beck's cognitive theory of depression and suicide and is widely used in clinical, psychiat

2 sources1974
clinical psychology

BIDQ

The BIDQ is a brief self-report questionnaire screening for body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), a disorder characterized by preoccupation with a perceived defect in appearance and repetitive behaviours (mirror checking, grooming, comparing with others). Developed by Castle and colleagues, the BIDQ focuses on the core diagn

3 sources2006
psychometrics

Bifactor Model

The bifactor measurement model specifies that every indicator loads simultaneously on a single general factor and on one of several specific (group) factors. Formally introduced by Holzinger and Swineford in 1937 and brought into mainstream psychometrics by Reise (2012), it is now the standard tool for evaluating wheth

2 sources1937
social psychology

BIS/BAS Scales

The BIS/BAS Scales, developed by Carver and White in 1994, are self-report measures of two fundamental motivational systems proposed by Gray's reinforcement sensitivity theory. The Behavioral Inhibition System (BIS) governs sensitivity to punishment, threat, and nonreward, and underlies anxiety and avoidance; the Behav

1 source1994
political psychology

Blatant Dehumanization Scale

The Blatant Dehumanization Scale, also called the Ascent of Man measure, captures the willingness to overtly deny full humanity to an out-group. Developed by Nour Kteily, Emile Bruneau, Adam Waytz, and Sarah Cotterill in 2015, it uses the iconic evolutionary image of a creature progressing from ape to upright human and

2 sources2015
psychiatry

Borderline Symptom List

The BSL-95 is a 95-item self-report questionnaire designed to measure the severity of borderline personality disorder (BPD) symptoms across nine subscales: affect dysregulation, distrust, self-harming behaviors, suicide risk, identity disturbance, negative relationships, and dissociation. Developed by Bohus and colleag

3 sources2007
bereavement psychology

BRI

The Bereavement Risk Index (BRI) is a structured assessment tool designed to identify bereaved individuals at elevated risk for complicated grief, depression, or other adverse bereavement outcomes. By systematically evaluating established risk factors (manner of death, relationship quality, concurrent stressors, prior

1 source1986
clinical psychology

Brief Phobia Scales

Brief Phobia Scales are a collection of short, focused self-report instruments designed to measure fear and anxiety related to specific phobias such as agoraphobia, claustrophobia, fear of flying, fear of heights, and other circumscribed fears. Developed by various researchers including Woody and Lohr, these scales pro

1 source2005
psychiatry

Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale

The BPRS is an 18-item clinician-administered scale for rapid assessment of psychiatric symptom severity in psychotic and other major psychiatric disorders. Developed by Overall and Gorham in 1962, it remains widely used in clinical settings and research trials due to its brevity (administration 15–20 minutes), broad s

3 sources1962
psychology of religion

Brief RCOPE

The Brief RCOPE, developed by Pargament and colleagues (1998), is a 14-item measure that distinguishes between positive and negative religious coping strategies that individuals employ when facing major life stressors. Derived from the longer 105-item RCOPE, the Brief RCOPE captures how people use faith, prayer, spirit

2 sources1998
trauma psychology

Burnout Assessment Tool

The BAT is a brief 10-item self-report instrument measuring occupational burnout across three dimensions: exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced professional efficacy. Developed by Schaufeli and colleagues in 2020 as a more contemporary alternative to the widely used Maslach Burnout Inventory, the BAT aligns with the Intern

2 sources2020
psychometrics

Case-Cohort Design

Case-cohort design is an epidemiological study design developed by Prentice (1986) that efficiently combines features of case-control and cohort studies. Researchers enroll an entire cohort, follow it for outcomes, then measure exposures only on cases and a random subcohort, reducing measurement costs while maintaining

3 sources1986
psychometrics

CAT Generalizability Theory

Generalizability theory (G-theory) applied to computerized adaptive testing (CAT) evaluates the dependability of adaptive test scores by decomposing score variance across measurement facets such as persons, items, and occasions. Unlike classical test theory, G-theory quantifies multiple simultaneous sources of measurem

2 sources1972
psychometrics

CAT McDonald's Omega

McDonald's omega adapted for computerized adaptive testing (CAT) quantifies the reliability of ability or trait estimates when different examinees answer different subsets of items. Unlike Cronbach's alpha, omega is grounded in a factor model, making it suitable for the heterogeneous item pools and variable test length

2 sources1999
psychometrics

CAT Scale Development

Computerized adaptive test (CAT) scale development is the process of constructing, calibrating, and validating a large item bank such that the assessment algorithm can select items tailored to each examinee's estimated ability or trait level in real time. The result is a measurement instrument that achieves high precis

2 sources1970
psychometrics

CAT-DIF

CAT-DIF identifies items in a computerized adaptive test that behave differently across demographic or group subpopulations after controlling for overall ability. Because adaptive algorithms select items non-randomly based on each examinee's estimated proficiency, standard DIF detection methods require adjustment befor

2 sources1990
environmental psychology

CCAS

The Climate Change Attitude Scale (CCAS) measures individuals' beliefs about climate change causation, severity, and human responsibility, as well as attitudes toward climate action and climate policy. Developed by Li and Monroe (2019) as an extension of general environmental attitude scales, the CCAS focuses specifica

2 sources2019
clinical psychology

Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale

The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) is a 20-item self-report instrument for measuring depressive symptoms in the general population. Developed by Lenore Radloff in 1977, the CES-D was designed for epidemiological research to rapidly identify depression in community samples. It remains a widely

2 sources1977
political psychology

Child-Rearing Authoritarianism Measure

The child-rearing values measure, introduced by Stanley Feldman and Karen Stenner in 1997, gauges an authoritarian predisposition indirectly by asking which qualities respondents most want to instill in children. Each item forces a choice between an autonomy-oriented quality (such as independence or curiosity) and a co

2 sources1997
child psychiatry

Childhood Trauma Questionnaire

The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) is a 28-item self-report measure assessing retrospective experiences of childhood abuse and neglect in adolescents and adults. Developed by David Bernstein and colleagues in 1994, the CTQ quantifies five types of maltreatment: physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, physi

2 sources1994
child psychiatry

Children's Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale

The Children's Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (CY-BOCS) is a 10-item clinician-administered semi-structured interview for assessing obsessive-compulsive symptoms in children and adolescents ages 6–17 years. Developed by Scahill, Riddle, and colleagues in 1997 as a child adaptation of the adult Y-BOCS, the CY-BOC

2 sources1997
educational psychology

Classroom Environment Scale

The Classroom Environment Scale is a comprehensive instrument measuring the social, emotional, and organizational climate of educational settings. Developed by Moos and Trickett in 1974, the CES assesses students' or teachers' perceptions of classroom relationships, instructional climate, and classroom management. By p

2 sources1974
clinical psychology

Clinical Global Impressions Scale

The Clinical Global Impressions Scale is a clinician-administered two-part assessment developed by William Guy in the ECDEU Assessment Manual (1976) to provide rapid, global ratings of illness severity and treatment response. Part 1 (CGI-Severity) rates current severity; Part 2 (CGI-Improvement) rates change since trea

3 sources1976
clinical psychology

Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale

The Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5) is the gold standard structured interview for assessing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in adults. Developed by Weathers, Litz, and Keane, the CAPS-5 directly operationalizes DSM-5 PTSD diagnostic criteria and assesses the frequency and intensity of symptoms

2 sources2013
environmental psychology

CNS

The Connectedness to Nature Scale (CNS) measures the degree to which individuals feel emotionally and cognitively connected to nature as part of their sense of self. Developed by Mayer and Frantz (2004), the CNS operationalizes the construct of nature connection—the felt sense of kinship, interdependence, and belonging

1 source2004
mindfulness psychology

Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale

The Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale (CAMS) is a 12-item trait mindfulness measure designed to assess the degree to which individuals are present, aware, and non-judging toward their internal (cognitive and emotional) and external experiences. Developed by Feldman, Hayes, and colleagues at Rutgers University a

1 source2007
psychometrics

Cognitive Diagnosis Model

Cognitive Diagnosis Models (CDMs) are a family of latent variable models designed to classify examinees according to their mastery of a set of discrete cognitive attributes or skills. The Generalized DINA (G-DINA) framework, introduced by Jimmy de la Torre in 2011, provides a unifying structure that encompasses many sp

1 source2011