How To Cite CliftonStrengths Assessment in APA Format

When you use the CliftonStrengths assessment (formerly called StrengthsFinder) in a paper or report, you need to cite it properly. This is a proprietary psychological tool owned by Gallup, so the citation follows a specific structure.

How To Cite Clifton Strengthsfinder Assessment Apa

The standard APA 7th edition format for this assessment is: Gallup. (2023). *CliftonStrengths assessment*. https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/ If you're citing a specific version or year of the assessment, adjust the date accordingly. The tool has gone through several revisions since it was first launched as StrengthsFinder in 2001, so the publication year matters. Important note: CliftonStrengths is a registered trademark of Gallup, Inc. You should not reproduce the full assessment questions or Scoring reports in your paper without permission. Cite the source, don't copy the content. I once had a student who tried to include the actual 34-theme ranking from the assessment in an appendix. The university's ethics board flagged it within a week. The workaround was simple — describe your top five themes in the text and add the citation above. That's all you need. Common mistake: Don't cite it as a personal communication or survey instrument unless you actually administered it yourself. If you're referencing someone else's CliftonStrengths results, treat it like any other proprietary assessment. The format stays the same. Here's a full reference list entry example: Gallup. (2023). *CliftonStrengths assessment* (3.0 ed.). Gallup Press. And an in-text citation: (Gallup, 2023) or According to Gallup (2023), ... Edge case: If you're using the assessment data in a corporate training report rather than academic work, APA format may not apply. Check your organization's style guide. Some companies prefer simple attribution: "CliftonStrengths assessment, Gallup, 2023." The assessment itself costs around $200 per person when purchased through Gallup directly. Academic discounts are available through university bookstores or Gallup's education portal. If you're doing a group assessment, bulk pricing kicks in at 10+ licenses, usually cutting the per-person cost to about $150. What not to do: Don't cite the free online quizzes or unofficial websites as the primary source. The full CliftonStrengths report includes your top 5 themes, development areas, and team insights. These are proprietary and shouldn't be reproduced without permission. If you need to reference specific theme descriptions, the CliftonThemes workbook (Gallup, 2023) is the official source. It's available through Gallup's resource library or academic distributors. The assessment typically takes 15-20 minutes to complete online. Results are available within 24-48 hours through your Gallup account. If you're managing a team assessment, results usually aggregate within a week, depending on your setup. Bottom line: Cite Gallup as the author, include the year, and link to the official site. That's the standard format for this proprietary tool.