Chapter Seven
Measurement and scaling
The Nature of Measurement and Scaling
To measure is to discover the extent, dimensions, quantity
or capacity of something especially by comparison with a
standard.
A scale may be defined as any series of items that are
arranged progressively according to value or
magnitude in to which an item can be placed according
to its quantification
The purpose of scaling is to present, usually
quantitatively, an item’s, a person’s or an event’s place in
the spectrum.
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Levels of Measurement Scales
Nominal scale: The data are sorted in to
categories with no particular order to the
categories
Example
Colour
Gender
Nationality
Region
Religion
It just need count of the number of observation
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Cont’d
Ordinal scale: it arranges objects or alternatives according
to their magnitudes in an ordered relationship.
The ordinal level of measurement presumes that one classification
is ranked higher than another.
A typical ordinal scale in business research asks respondents to
rate career opportunities, brands, companies, or the like as
“excellent”, “fair”, or “poor” but they do but know by how
much.
Possible to obtain the corresponding metric estimate. But
require to define the value
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PVUC
Cont’d
Interval scale: it not only indicate order, they also
measure order (or distance) in units of equal intervals.
The classic example of an interval scale is the Fahrenheit
temperature scale.
Allow accurate central tendency use and application in
precise manner
Ratio scale
Ratio scales have absolute rather than relative quantities. For
example, money and weight are measured with ratio scales that
possess an absolute zero and interval properties
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Typeof scale Numerical Operation Descriptivestatistics
Nominal Counting Frequency in each category,
Percentagein each category,
Mode
Ordinal Rank ordering Median, range, percentile
Ranking
Interval Arithmetic operations Mean, standard deviation,
On intervals b/n number variance
Ratio Arithmetic operation on Geometric mean, coefficient
Actual quantities
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Measure of attitude
Possible option
i. Category scales
Example
If you could choose, how much longer would you stay at your present job?
Less than six months
Six months to oneyear
Longer than oneyear
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Cont’d
ii. The Likert scale
Show the extent of agreement ( where the values
assigned range from 1-7 depending on need )
iii. Semantic differential
It is an attitude measureconsisting of a series of seven point bipolar rating scale showing
response to a concept. Bipolar adjectives such as “good” and “bad” , “modern” and “old
fashioned”, or “clean” and “dirty”, anchor thebeginning and end (or poles) of thescale.
Example
Modern______, ______, _______, _______, _______, _______, _____ old fashioned
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iv. Numerical Scales
Example
Now that you’vehad your automobilefor about oneyear. Pleasetell us how satisfied you
arewith ford Taurus.
Extremely satisfied 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Extremely dissatisfied
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v. Graphic rating scales
A graphic rating scale presents respondents with
a graphic continuum to indicate their attitudes
Please evaluate each attribute in terms of how important it is to you by placing an
“X” at theposition on thehorizontal linethat most reflects your feelings.
Seating comfort Not important _____________ very important
In flight meals Not important _____________ very important
Air fare Not important______________ very important
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PVUC