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Measurement and Scaling

Measurement involves assigning numbers or symbols to characteristics of objects to provide an accurate description. Scaling creates a continuum on which measurements are located. There are four main types of measurement scales: nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio scales. Each scale allows for different types of mathematical operations based on the meaningfulness of differences and ratios in the data. Measurement scales can also be classified as single item versus multiple item, and comparative versus non-comparative based on whether respondents use a frame of reference.

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465 views

Measurement and Scaling

Measurement involves assigning numbers or symbols to characteristics of objects to provide an accurate description. Scaling creates a continuum on which measurements are located. There are four main types of measurement scales: nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio scales. Each scale allows for different types of mathematical operations based on the meaningfulness of differences and ratios in the data. Measurement scales can also be classified as single item versus multiple item, and comparative versus non-comparative based on whether respondents use a frame of reference.

Uploaded by

Anshika
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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MEASUREMENT AND SCALING

Meaning of Measurement and Scaling


Measurement: The term ‘measurement’ means
assigning numbers or some other symbols to the
characteristics of certain objects. When numbers are
used, the researcher must have a rule for assigning a
number to an observation in a way that provides an
accurate description.

Scaling: Scaling is an extension of measurement.


Scaling involves creating a continuum on which
measurements on objects are located.
Types of Measurement Scale
Nominal scale: This is the lowest level of measurement. Here, numbers are
assigned for the purpose of identification of the objects. Any object which is
assigned a higher number is in no way superior to the one which is assigned a
lower number.

Example:
• Are you married?
(a) Yes(b) No


Married person may be assigned a no. 1.

Unmarried person may be assigned a no. 2.

The assigned numbers cannot be added, subtracted, multiplied or divided. The


only arithmetic operations that can be carried out are the count of each
category. Therefore, a frequency distribution table can be prepared for the
nominal scale variables and mode of the distribution can be worked out.
Ordinal scale: This is the next higher level of measurement.

One of the limitations of the nominal scale measurements

is that we cannot say whether the assigned number to an

object is higher or lower than the one assigned to another

option. The ordinal scale measurement takes care of this

limitation. An ordinal scale measurement tells whether an

object has more or less of characteristics than some other

objects.
Example:

Rank the following attributes while choosing a restaurant for


dinner. The most important attribute may be ranked one, the
next important may be assigned a rank of 2 and so on.
In the ordinal scale, the assigned ranks cannot be added,
multiplied, subtracted or divided. One can compute
median, percentiles and quartiles of the distribution. The
other major statistical analysis which can be carried out is
the rank order correlation coefficient, sign test.
Interval scale: The interval scale measurement is the next
higher level of measurement.
It takes care of the limitation of the ordinal scale measurement
where the difference between the score on the ordinal scale
does not have any meaningful interpretation.
In the interval scale the difference of the score on the scale has
meaningful interpretation.
It is assumed that the respondent is able to answer the
questions on a continuum scale.
The mathematical form of the data on the interval scale may
be written as

Y = a + b X where a ≠ 0


Ratio of the score on this scale does not have a meaningful
interpretation.
Example:

The numbers on this scale can be added, subtracted,


multiplied or divided. One can compute arithmetic mean,
standard deviation, correlation coefficient and conduct a t-
test, Z-test, regression analysis and factor analysis.
Ratio scale: This is the highest level of measurement and takes
care of the limitations of the interval scale measurement, where
the ratio of the measurements on the scale does not have a
meaningful interpretation.
The mathematical form of the ratio scale data is given by Y = b
X.
In ratio scale, there is a natural zero (origin).

Example:
How many chemist shops are there in your locality?
How many students are there in the PGDM programme at FSM?

All mathematical and statistical operations can be carried out


using the ratio scale data.
Classification of Scales
Single item vs multiple item scale:

• In the single item scale, there is only one item to measure


a given construct.

• In multiple item scale, there are many items that play a


role in forming the underlying construct that the
researcher is trying to measure. This is because each of
the item forms some part of the construct which the
researcher is trying to measure.
Comparative vs non-comparative scales
Comparative scales – In comparative scales it is assumed that respondents
make use of a standard frame of reference before answering the question.
Example:-
Formats of Comparative Scales –

Paired comparison scales


Rank order scale
Constant sum rating scale
Q-sort technique
Q-sort technique

It was developed to discriminate among a large number of objects


quickly. This technique makes use of the rank order procedure in
which objects are sorted into different piles based on their similarity
with respect to certain criterion.
Non-Comparative Scales – In the non-comparative
scales, the respondents do not make use of any frame of
reference before answering the questions.

Non-comparative scale

Graphic rating scale Itemized rating scale


Graphic Rating Scale – This is a continuous scale and the respondent is
asked to tick his preference on a graph.
Examples:
Please put a tick mark (•) on the following line to indicate your
preference for fast food.
Alternative Presentation of Graphic Rating Scale :
Please indicate how much do you like fast food by pointing to
the face that best shows your attitude and taste. If you do
not prefer it at all, you would point to face one. In case you
prefer it the most, you would point to face seven.
Itemized rating scale – In the itemized rating
scale, the respondents are provided with a
scale that has a number of brief descriptions
associated with each of the response
categories.
Examples of Itemized Rating Scales:

Likert scale

The respondents are given a certain number of items (statements) on
which they are asked to express their degree of
agreement/disagreement.

This is also called a summated scale because the scores on individual
items can be added together to produce a total score for the
respondent.

An assumption of the Likert scale is that each of the items
(statements) measures some aspect of a single common factor,
otherwise the scores on the items cannot legitimately be summed up.

In a typical research study, there are generally 25 to 30 items on a
Likert scale.
Example of a Likert Scale:

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