RATING SCALES

A rating scale is a common method of data collection that is used to gather comparative

information about a specific research subject. Specifically, a rating scale is a  type of multiple-
choice question and it allows survey respondents to assign a value to a product or service. 

This method of data collection enables survey respondents to measure their feelings, perceptions,
interests, and preferences. There are different types of rating scales including numerical scales,
heart rating scales and Likert scales, and each of these scales has specific features that
differentiate one from the other. 

Types of Rating Scale 

 Numerical Scale

A numeric scale is a type of rating scale that requires the respondent to provide his or her
feedback in terms of numerical values. This type of rating scale equates comparative survey
response options to an ordered set of numerical values so that respondents can quantify their
opinions. 

This type of rating scale allows the researcher to view survey responses as quantitative
symbolizations. A numerical rating scale is typically used to quantify qualitative data such as
pain, feelings, product satisfaction, likelihood to recommend, customer loyalty and the like. 

Usually, the researcher labels the endpoints of the numerical rating scale in terms of the value
that is being measured so that both ends represent the extremes of this value. Examples of
numerical rating scales include Single Ease Questions and Likelihood to Recommend
Questions.  

Samples of a Numerical Rating Scale

1. How likely are you to recommend our product or service? (1 = Very Unlikely; 5 = Very
Likely)
2. How easy or difficult did you find this test? (1 = Very Difficult; 7 = Very Easy)

 Likert Scale

A Likert scale is a type of rating scale that allows survey respondents to indicate how much they
agree or disagree with an assertion or a statement. It is used to measure a survey respondent's
psychological disposition or attitude towards a specific subject matter. 
A likert scale  is typically in the form of a 5-point or 7-point rating system that allows you to
objectively rate the survey respondent's opinions, perceptions, and behaviors. It also includes a
moderate or neutral rating that caters to opinions that are neither here nor there. 

This type of rating scale is un-dimensional in nature and it can also be used to measure
agreement, frequency, quality, likelihood, and importance. It was developed in 1932 by the
social psychologist Rensis Likert and it is a useful tool for market research. 

Guttman scale, Bogardus scale and, Thurstone scale are also common variations of the Likert
scale. 

Question Samples of a Likert Scale

How satisfied are you with our product?

1. Very satisfied
2. Satisfied
3. Neutral
4. Dissatisfied
5. Very Dissatisfied

I found the website difficult to navigate. 

1. Strongly Disagree
2. Disagree
3. Neither agree nor disagree
4. Agree
5. Strongly Agree 

 Radio Frequency Scale

A radio frequency scale is a type of rating scale that is used to measure the number of
occurrences of an assertion or statement. The radio frequency scale allows the researcher to
know how often the respondent performs a particular action. 

This type of rating scale can either be used to measure the frequency of an action in terms of a
specific number of times such as monthly, weekly and yearly. It can also be in terms of general
time frames such as seldom, always, rarely, and the like. This is also known as a verbal
frequency scale. 

When creating a frequency scale, it is important for you to arrange the frequency values
accordingly. 

Question Samples of Frequency Scale

1. How often do you use our product?

 Daily Weekly Monthly Annually

2. I read instructions before using a product.

Never Rarely Sometimes Always

 Comparative Scale

A comparative scale is a type of rating scale that is used to measure a survey respondent's
preferences in terms of popular external benchmarks such as well-known service providers. It is
also referred to as a comparative intensity scale. 

This type of rating scale allows a respondent to rate his or her preferences in terms of the
different attributes of a specific item. It is a non-metric scale that allows respondents to evaluate
2 items simultaneously using a range of parameters. 

Sample of a Comparative Scale

How does the target communication company compare to ABC Telecom in terms of the
following?

Pricing Coverage Reviews Recommendation

Advantages of a Rating Scale

 It can be used for Qualitative and Quantitative Research

A rating scale is a useful tool for quantitative and qualitative observation and data collection.
There are different types of rating scales and each of these can be adapted for qualitative or
quantitative observation.

If you wish to collect feedback in terms of numerical value, you can make use of a numerical
rating scale. On the other hand, if you wish to collect data relating to a user's experience with a
product or service, you can make use of a smiley rating scale. 

 A rating scale helps to simplify data collection and analysis in research. 

 In quantitative observation, a rating scale can be used for comparative data analysis,
especially when it has to do with market research. 
 It is easy to administer and it reduces the chances of survey bias and survey response
drop-out. This is because it is easy to understand and survey respondents do not need to
spend a lot of time trying to decipher the focus of the survey?
  Using a rating scale for data collection helps you to save time; especially when creating
an online survey using data-gathering platforms like Formplus. 
 A rating scale is also a convenient method of opinion sampling. 

Disadvantages of a Rating Scale 

1. It is subject to data limitations. A rating scale does not allow you to gather specific data
about a respondent's experiences. While it may reveal a respondent's overall disposition
to a product or service, it doesn't collect any information about the reason for such
behavior 
2. A rating scale addresses the focus of the research comparatively rather than individually.
Hence, while it can tell you about the feeling and perceptions of the respondent, it does
not let you in on the reason for this perception. 
3. A rating scale is subject to limited reliability. This means that it cannot be totally relied
on in research; especially in qualitative research. 
4. It is also subject to substantial variations.
5. Because it is easy to use, a rating scale can easily be misinterpreted; especially when the
data analysis process is not handled by a professional. 
6. It is not an effective business management tool.

Conclusion 
When choosing a rating scale, it is important to take your research process and the overall
purpose of the systematic investigation into consideration. This is because some rating scales are
better suited for certain types of research than others, for example, a numerical rating scale is
better suited for quantitative research. 

There are different types of rating scales including the Likert scale, radio frequency scale, and
the heart rating scale. You can create these different scales easily in the Formplus builder by
clicking on or dragging and dropping your preferred rating scale fields into your form. 
Intelligence test, series of tasks designed to measure the capacity to make abstractions, to learn, and to
deal with novel situations.

The most widely used intelligence tests include the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale and the Wechsler
scales. The Stanford-Binet is the American adaptation of the original French Binet-Simon intelligence
test; it was first introduced in 1916 by Lewis Terman, a psychologist at Stanford University. The
individually administered test—revised in 1937, 1960, 1973, 1986, and 2003—evaluates persons two
years of age and older and is designed for use primarily with children. It consists of an age-graded series
of problems whose solution involves arithmetical, memory, and vocabulary skills.

The test is scored in terms of intelligence quotient, or IQ, a concept first suggested by German
psychologist William Stern and adopted by Lewis Terman in the Stanford-Binet Scale. The IQ was
originally computed as the ratio of a person’s mental age to his chronological (physical) age, multiplied
by 100. Thus, if a child of 10 had a mental age of 12 (that is, performed on the test at the level of an
average 12-year-old), then the child was assigned an IQ of (12/10) X 100, or 120. A score of 100, for
which the mental age equaled the chronological age, was average; scores above 100 were above
average, scores below 100 were below average. The concept of mental age has fallen into disrepute,
however, and few tests now involve the computation of mental ages. Yet many tests still yield an IQ; this
figure is now computed on the basis of the statistical percentage of people who are expected to have a
certain IQ. Intelligence test scores follow an approximately “normal” distribution, with most people
scoring near the middle of the distribution curve and scores dropping off fairly rapidly in frequency away
from the curve’s centre. For example, on the IQ scale about 2 out of 3 scores fall between 85 and 115
and about 19 out of 20 scores fall between 70 and 130. A score of about 130 or above is considered
gifted, while a score below about 70 is considered mentally deficient or intellectually disabled.

Intelligence tests have provoked a great deal of controversy about what kinds of mental
abilities constitute intelligence and whether the IQ adequately represents these abilities, with debate
centring on cultural bias in test construction and standardization procedures. Critics have charged that
intelligence tests favour groups from more affluent backgrounds and discriminate against less privileged
racial, ethnic, or social groups. Consequently, psychologists have attempted to develop culture-free tests
that would more accurately reflect an individual’s native ability. One such test, the Johns Hopkins
Perceptual Test, developed by Leon Rosenberg in the early 1960s to measure the intelligence of
preschool children, has a child try to match random forms (ordinary geometric forms, such as circles,
squares, and triangles, are avoided because some children may be more familiar with the forms than are
others). Another attempted solution to the problem was to use test material pertinent to a child’s living
environment; for example, for inner-city children, urban and not pastoral scenes are appropriate.