Scaling and Questionnaire design

Introduction types of measurement scales classification of scales Scaling and scale construction technique Measurement error criteria for good measurement Criteria for questionnaire design, types of questionnaires, design procedure, types of questions, structure of questionnaire, physical characteristics, pilot testing, administering the questionnaire, reliability and validity of questionnaire, E questionnaire salient features. Data coding; Editing and Tabulation.

types of questions, structure of questionnaire, physical characteristics, pilot testing, administering the questionnaire, reliability and validity of questionnaire, E questionnaire salient features. Data coding; Editing and Tabulation.

 scales
Types

are used in measuring behaviour

Nominal Ordinal Interval Ratio

The lowest measurement level you can use, from a statistical point of view, is a nominal scale. A nominal scale, as the name implies, is simply some placing of data into categories, without any order or structure. A physical example of a nominal scale is the terms we use for colours. The underlying spectrum is ordered but the names are nominal. In research activities a YES/NO scale is nominal. It has no order and there is no distance between YES and NO.

 The

statistics which can be used with nominal scales are in the non-parametric group. The most likely ones would be: mode cross tabulation - with chi-square There are also highly sophisticated modelling techniques available for nominal data.

An ordinal scale is higher in terms of power of measurement. The simplest ordinal scale is a ranking. When a market researcher asks you to rank 5 types of beer from most flavourful to least flavourful, he/she is asking you to create an ordinal scale of preference. There is no objective distance between any two points on your subjective scale. For you the top beer may be far superior to the second prefered beer but, to another respondant with the same top and second beer, the distance may be subjectively small.

 Ordinal

data would use non-parametric statistics. These would include: -Median and mode -rank order correlation -non-parametric analysis of variance Modeling techniques can also be used with ordinal data.

The standard survey rating scale is an interval scale. When you are asked to rate your satisfaction with a piece of software on a 7 point scale, from Dissatisfied to Satisfied, you are using an interval scale. It is an interval scale because it is assumed to have equidistant points between each of the scale elements. This means that we can interpret differences in the distance along the scale. Whereas in an ordinal scale where we can only talk about differences in order Interval scales are also scales which are defined by metrics such as logarithms. In these cases, the distances are not equal but they are strictly definable based on the metric used.

 Interval

scale data would use parametric statistical techniques: -Mean and standard deviation -Correlation - r -Regression -Analysis of variance -Factor analysis Plus a whole range of advanced multivariate and modeling techniques

 The

ratio scale is the top level of measurement It is not often available in social research. The factor which clearly defines a ratio scale is that it has a true zero point. The simplest example of a ratio scale is the measurement of length

 The

Centigrade scale has a zero point but it is an arbitrary one. The Farenheit scale has its equivalent point at -32o So, even though temperature looks as if it would be a ratio scale it is an interval scale.

 Same

as interval data

 The

classification of scales is done according to the following aspects subject orientation; response form; degree of subjectivity; scale properties; number of dimensions and scale construction techniques.

 Under

this, a scale may be designed to measure characteristics of the respondent who completes it or to judge the stimulus object which is presented to the respondent.

Under this we may classify the scales as categorical and comparative. Categorical scales are also known as rating scales. These scales are used when a respondent scores some object without direct reference to other objects. Under comparative scales, which are also known as ranking scales, the respondent is asked to compare two or more objects. In this sense the respondent may state that one object is superior to the other or that three models of pen rank in order 1, 2 and 3. The essence of ranking is, in fact, a relative comparison of a certain property of two or more objects.

The scale data may be based on whether we measure subjective personal preferences or simply make non-preference judgements. In the former case, the respondent is asked to choose which person he favours or which solution he would like to see employed, whereas in the latter case he is simply asked to judge which person is more effective in some aspect or which solution will take fewer resources without reflecting any personal preference.

 Considering

scale properties, one may classify the scales as nominal, ordinal, interval and ratio scales. Nominal scales merely classify without indicating order, distance or unique origin. Ordinal scales indicate magnitude relationships of more than or less than, but indicate no distance or unique origin. Interval scales have both order and distance values, but no unique origin. Ratio scales possess all these features.

In respect of this basis, scales can be classified as unidimensional and multidimensional scales. Under the former we measure only one attribute of the respondent or object, whereas multidimensional scaling recognizes that an object might be described better by using the concept of an attribute space of n dimensions

Arbitrary Scales :Based on Arbitrary approach, these are developed on ad-hoc basis based on researchers own selection of items Differential Scale or Thurstone-Type Scale: It is an equal-appearing interval scale Summative Scale (e.g.,Likert) :Assumes that individual items can be measured by scoring the underlying attributes. Cumulative Scales (Guttmans Scolagram Analysis):Statements are related in such a way that if one answers favorably to one question must favorably answer other questions in the series Factor Scale: Inter correlation among the items implies that a common factor accounts for relationship among the items. E.g., semantic scale with bipolar points (adjectives) and numbers or blanks in between

Random Errors Random errors in experimental measurements are caused by unknown and unpredictable changes in the experiment. These changes may occur in the measuring instruments or in the environmental conditions. Examples of causes of random errors are: electronic noise in the circuit of an electrical instrument irregular changes in the heat loss rate from a solar collector due to changes in the wind.

 Systematic

errors in experimental observations usually come from the measuring instruments. They may occur because : there is something wrong with the instrument or its data handling system, or because the instrument is wrongly used by the experimenter.

 Respondent
Situation Measurer Instrument

 Reliability Validity Sensitivity Precise Unambiguous Free

from errors Practical

 Relevance
Accurate Adequate Simple

to understand Not too lengthy