ASSIGNMENT 2

Submitted by :- Gauri Gupta

QUES 1.What is Scaling? Discuss different types of Scaling techniques?

Scaling is the assignment of objects to numbers or semantics according to a rule. In scaling, the objects
are text statements, usually statements of attitude, opinion, or feeling

The level of measurement refers to the relationship among the values that are assigned to the attributes,
feelings or opinions for a variable.
Typically, there are four levels of measurement scales or methods of assigning numbers:
(a) Nominal scale,
(b) Ordinal scale,
(c) Interval scale, and
(d) Ratio scale.
Nominal Scale is the crudest among all measurement scales but it is also the simplest scale. In
this scale the different scores on a measurement simply indicate different categories. The
nominal scale does not express any values or relationships between variables.
For example: labeling men as 1 and women as 2 which is the most common way of labeling gender
for data recording purpose does not mean women are twice something or other than men. Nor it
suggests that men are somehow better than women.
Ordinal Scale involves the ranking of items along the continuum of the characteristic being
scaled. In this scale, the items are classified according to whether they have more or less of a
characteristic.
For example, a fast food home delivery shop may wish to ask its customers:
How would you rate the service of our staff?
(1) Excellent (2) Very Good (3) Good (4) Poor (5) Worst
Interval Scale is a scale in which the numbers are used to rank attributes such that
numerically equal distances on the scale represent equal distance in the characteristic being
measured. An interval scale contains all the information of an ordinal scale, but it also one
allows to compare the difference/distance between attributes. Interval scales may be either in
numeric or semantic formats.
For example, the difference between 1 and 2 is equal to
the difference between 3 and 4. Further, the difference between 2 and 4 is twice the difference
between 1 and 2.
Measuring temperature is an example of interval scale. But, we cannot say 40C is twice as hot as
20C.
Ratio Scale is the highest level of measurement scales. This has the properties of an interval
scale together with a fixed (absolute) zero point. The absolute zero point allows us to
construct a meaningful ratio.
For example, the number of customers of a banks ATM in the last
three months is a ratio scale. This is because you can compare this with previous three months.

SCALING TECHNIQUES:-
1. Comparative Scales
2. Non-Comparative Scales

In comparative scaling, the respondent is asked to compare one object with another.
The comparative scales can further be divided into the following four types of scaling techniques:
Paired Comparison Scale:
This is a comparative scaling technique in which a respondent is presented with two objects at a time
and asked to select one object according to some criterion. The data obtained are ordinal in nature.

Rank Order Scale:

This is another type of comparative scaling technique in which respondents are presented with several
items simultaneously and asked to rank them in the order of priority. This is an ordinal scale that
describes the favoured and unfavoured objects, but does not reveal the distance between the objects.
Constant Sum Scale:
In this scale, the respondents are asked to allocate a constant sum of units such as points, rupees, or
chips among a set of stimulus objects with respect to some criterion.
For example, you may wish to determine how important the attributes of price, fragrance, packaging,
cleaning power, and lather of a detergent are to consumers. Respondents might be asked to divide a
constant sum to indicate the relative importance of the attributes.
Q-Sort Scale:
This is a comparative scale that uses a rank order procedure to sort objects based on similarity with
respect to some criterion. The important characteristic of this methodology is that it is more important
to make comparisons among different responses of a respondent than the responses between different
respondents. Therefore, it is a comparative method of scaling rather than an absolute rating scale. In
this method the respondent is given
statements in a large number for describing the characteristics of a product or a large number of brands
of a product.

In non-comparative scaling respondents need only evaluate a single object. Their

evaluation is independent of the other object which the researcher is studying.
The non-comparative scaling techniques can be further divided into:
Continuous Rating Scales :
It is very simple and highly useful. In continuous rating scale, the respondents rate the objects by
placing a mark at the appropriate position on a continuous line that runs from one extreme of the
criterion variable to the other.
Itemized Rating Scales :
Itemized rating scale is a scale having numbers or brief descriptions associated with each category. The
categories are ordered in terms of scale position and the respondents are required to select one of the
limited number of categories
that best describes the product, brand, company, or product attribute being rated. Itemized rating scales
are widely used in marketing research.
Likert Scale:
Likert, is extremely popular for measuring attitudes, because, the method is simple to administer. With
the Likert scale, the respondents indicate their own attitudes by checking how strongly they agree or
disagree with carefully worded statements that range from very positive to very negative towards the
attitudinal
object. Respondents generally choose from five alternatives (say strongly agree, agree, neither agree
nor disagree, disagree, strongly disagree).
Semantic Differential Scale:
This is a seven point rating scale with end points associated with bipolar labels (such as good and bad,
complex and simple) that have semantic meaning. It can be used to find whether a respondent has a
positive or negative attitude towards an object. It has been widely used in comparing brands, products
and company images. It has also been used to develop advertising and promotion strategies and in a
new product development study.
Staple Scale:
The Stapel scale was originally developed to measure the
direction and intensity of an attitude simultaneously. Modern versions of the Stapel scale place a single
adjective as a substitute for the Semantic differential when it is difficult to create pairs of bipolar
adjectives. The modified Stapel scale places a single adjective in the centre of an even number of
numerical Values.

QUES 2. What is sampling? Distinguish between probability and non-probability

sampling methods and explain their significance?

SAMPLING is the process of selecting a number of individuals for a study in such a way that the
individuals represent the larger group from which they were selected.
A sample is a smaller (but hopefully representative) collection of units from a population
used to determine truths about that population (Field, 2005)
PURPOSE OF SAMPLING:
To gather data about the population in order to make an inference that can be generalized to
the population
PROBABILITY SAMPLING
Probability Sampling are used in conclusive research. In a probability sampling design, each and every
element of the population has a known chance of being selected in the sample.

Types of Probability Sampling:

Simple random sampling is a completely random method of selecting subjects. These can
include assigning numbers to all subjects and then using a random number generator to choose
random numbers. Classic ball and urn experiments are another example of this process (assuming
the balls are sufficiently mixed). The members whose numbers are chosen are included in the
sample.
Stratified Random Sampling involves splitting subjects into mutually exclusive groups and then
using simple random sampling to choose members from groups.
Systematic Sampling means that you choose every nth participant from a complete list. For
example, you could choose every 10th person listed.
Cluster Random Sampling is a way to randomly select participants from a list that is too large
for simple random sampling. For example, if you wanted to choose 1000 participants from the
entire population of the U.S., it is likely impossible to get a complete list of everyone. Instead, the
researcher randomly selects areas (i.e. cities or counties) and randomly selects from within those
boundaries.
Multi-Stage Random sampling uses a combination of techniques.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Each probability sampling method has its own unique advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages

Cluster sampling: convenience and ease of use.

Simple random sampling: creates samples that are highly representative of the population.
Stratified random sampling: creates strata or layers that are highly representative of strata or
layers in the population.
Systematic sampling: creates samples that are highly representative of the population, without
the need for arandom number generator.

Disadvantages
Cluster sampling: might not work well if unit members are not homogeneous (i.e. if they are
different from each other).
Simple random sampling: tedious and time consuming, especially when creating larger samples.
Stratified random sampling: tedious and time consuming, especially when creating larger
samples.
Systematic sampling: not as random as simple random sampling,

NON-PROBABILITY SAMPLING
Non-probability sampling is a sampling technique where the odds of any member being selected for
a sample cannot be calculated. Its the opposite of probability sampling, where you can calculate the
odds. In addition, probability sampling involves random selection, while non-probability sampling does
notit relies on the subjective judgement of the researcher.The odds do not have to be equal for a
method to be considered probability sampling. For example, one person could have a 10% chance of
being selected and another person could have a 50% chance of being selected. Its non-probability
sampling when you cant calculate the odds at all

A major advantage with non-probability sampling is that compared to probability sampling its
very cost- and time-effective. Its also easy to use and can also be used when its impossible to conduct
probability sampling (e.g. when you have a very small population to work with).
One major disadvantage of non-probability sampling is that its impossible to know how well you are
representing the population. Plus, you cant calculate confidence intervals and margins of error. This is
the major reason why, if at all possible, you should consider probability sampling methods first.
Many specific advantages and disadvantages exist for different types of non-probability
sampling. Youll find more information about each method below (click on a name to read more about
a specific methods advantages and disadvantages).

Types of Non-Probability Sampling

Convenience Sampling: as the name suggests, this involves collecting a sample from somewhere
convenient to you: the mall, your local school, your church. Sometimes called accidental
sampling, opportunity sampling or grab sampling.
Haphazard Sampling: where a researcher chooses items haphazardly, trying to simulate
randomness. However, the result may not be random at all and is often tainted by selection bias.
Purposive Sampling: where the researcher chooses a sample based on their knowledge about the
population and the study itself. The study participants are chosen based on the studys purpose.
There are several types of purposive sampling. For a full list, advantages and disadvantages of the
method, see the article: Purposive Sampling.
Expert Sampling: in this method, the researcher draws the sample from a list of experts in the
field.
Heterogeneity Sampling / Diversity Sampling: a type of sampling where you deliberately
choose members so that all views are represented. However, those views may or may not be
represented proportionally.
Modal Instance Sampling: The most typical members are chosen from a set.
Quota Sampling: where the groups (i.e. men and women) in the sample are proportional to the
groups in the population.
Snowball Sampling: where research participants recruit other members for the study. This
method is particularly useful when participants might be hard to find. For example, a study on
working prostitutes or current heroin users.

QUES 3. Why tabulation and analysis is considered essential in a research study?

Narrate the characteristics of a good table.
What is tabulation of data?
The process of placing classified data into tabular form is known as tabulation. A table is a symmetric
arrangement of statistical data in rows and columns. Rows are horizontal arrangements whereas
columns are vertical arrangements.

QUES 4. CASE STUDY-

A healthcare company was setup in 2003 in Navi Mumbai with a view to provide
quality medical service to the residents at an affordable price. Having completed two
years of its existence management wants to have feedback from those who have
availed services. The purpose of seeking such a feedback is to know shortcomings in
its various activities so that necessary corrective actions can be taken. It would like to
have the opinion of the patients under each of the following
a. Accessibility
b. Service Orientation
c. Doctors
d. Nurses and Technicians
e. Room- Usage Experience
f. General
Questions
Assume that company has approached you for this exercise and you are
asked to prepare a questionnaire covering the different medical services
mentioned above.
1. What type of scale would be most appropriate here? Design questionnaire in
conformity with the scale that you would use.
2. Which survey method would you choose? Justify your choice.