The levels on which variables are measured:

 Nominal
 Ordinal
 Interval
 Ratio

NOMINAL
 Entities/values get a label, are placed within a category;
 One value is not higher, lower than another;
 No mathematical operations apply to nominal variables;

NOMINAL - EXAMPLE
 presence or absence of a linguistic feature (DOM marker pe)
9. a. Nu am văzut pe nimeni. DOM marker present

b. Nu am văzut băiatul. DOM marker absent

ORDINAL
 A hierarchy is established (by assigning a code);
 We don’t know by how much one value is higher/lower than another;
 The codes on the hierarchy are arbitrary, but they must indicate the order of items
 No mathematical operations apply to ordinal variables

ORDINAL - EXAMPLE
 first, second and third-year students of French to whom we assign a number that
corresponds to their level of proficiency
Beginner students = 1
Intermediate students = 2 hierarchy
Advanced students = 3
ORDINAL
 We can only find out information about the position in the hierarchy. We don’t know
anything about the differences between positions. For instance, we don’t expect that the
differences between the 3rd and 2nd year students are the same as those between the 2nd and 1st
year students 🡪 no equal intervals of measurement between the values on the hierarchy.

INTERVAL
 ‘Equal intervals on the scale represent equal differences in the property being
measured’ (Field & Hole 2003);
 Mathematical operations apply to interval variables;
 No absolute 0 on the scale.

INTERVAL - EXAMPLE
 Participants are taught 20 non-sense words that are presented visually; half an hour later
they receive a memory test. The next day, the same participants are taught another 20 non-sense
words that are presented in visual and auditory form. Half an hour later they receive a memory
test.
 The researcher measures the number of correct responses in each condition.

INTERVAL
 We know that difference between 5 and 6 on the scale is the same as that between 1 and 2
or that between 7 and 8 – 1 point in this case. We also know that the difference between 1 and 4
is the same as that between 6 and 9 – 3 points.

RATIO
 The ratio level of measurement displays: (i) the properties of the interval data and (ii) ‘the
ratio of value along the scale must be meaningful’ (Field 2009). Quite importantly – the scale
must have a meaningful 0 point!
 Mathematical operations apply to ratio variables.

RATIO – EXAMPLE
 the number of correct answers to a language proficiency test
given to elementary students of French
CATEGORICAL VS. CONTINUOUS VARIABLES
Categorical variable: no inherent numerical value, just categories (no category can be
rated as higher than another one) 🡪 nominal, ordinal
 the voiced/voiceless variable
Continuous variable: variables are measured along a continuum; numbers that represent
measurement 🡪 interval, ratio
 the correct answers to the test