SCALE OF MEASUREMENT-RESEARCH

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title page 1

Table of Contents 2

Definition of Measurement and Scales of Measurement 3

Properties of Measurement Scales 3

Comparison of the Scales of Measurement 4

Types of Measurement Scales 4

References 11

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 DEFINITION OF MEASUREMENT AND SCALES OF MEASUREMENT

Measurement refers to the assignment of numbers in a meaningful way, and understanding

measurement scales is important to interpreting the numbers assigned to people, objects and
events.

Scale of measurement also called level of measurement is a classification that describes the
nature of information within the values assigned to variables (Birch, 2008). Measurement of
scales in statistical analysis, is the type of information provided by numbers. Scales of
measurement are defined as the ways to collect and analyze data. It depends on the purpose of
the study and the type of data (qualitative or quantitative) on which the selection of an
appropriate scale is being dependent.

PROPERTIES OF MEASUREMENT SCALES

Each scale of measurement satisfies one or more of the following properties of measurement

1. Identity: Each value on the measurement scale has a unique meaning

2. Magnitude: Values on the measurement scale have an ordered relationship to one
another. i.e. some values are larger and some are smaller; therefore, there is a specific
order to the variables.
3. Equal intervals: Scale units along the scale are equal to one other. This means, for
example, that the difference between 1 and 2 would be equal to the difference between 19
and 20.
4. A minimum value of zero: The scale has a true zero point, below which no values exists.
A minimum value of zero means the scale has a true zero point. Degrees, for example,
can fall below zero and still have meaning.

When data is collected for a study, the next step is to analyze it which depends on the tools that
is used for data collection. e.g. if qualitative data is collected, then certain labels (nominal scale)
can be used from which the respondents will select their opinion. For quantitative data, interval

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and ratio scales can be used which makes it possible for the researcher to represent the data using
numbers.

Psychologist Stanley Smith Stevens developed the best known classification with four
levels/scales of measurement: nominal, ordinal, interval and ratio (Birch, 2008). Each o the four
scales provides a different type of information.

COMPARISON OF THE SCALES OF MEASUREMENT

Incremental Measure Mathematical Advanced Central Variability

progress property operators operations tendency
Nominal Classification, =, ≠ Grouping Mode Qualitative
membership variation
Ordinal Comparison, >, < Sorting Median Range,
level interquartile
range
Interval Difference, +, - Comparison Arithmetic Deviation
affinity to a standard mean
Ratio Magnitude, X, / Ratio Geometric Coefficient of
amount mean, variation,
harmonic studentized
mean range
Table 1: Comparison of the four types of measurement scales

TYPES OF MEASUREMENT SCALES

Nominal, ordinal, interval and ratio scales are the four fundamental level of measurement scales
that are used to capture data in the form of surveys. Each scale is an incremental level of
measurement, meaning, each scale fulfills the function of the previous scale.

1. Nominal scales

The nominal scale is a scale which represents only the names or where the number serve only as
labels or tags to categorize or identify the objects. This scale defines the identity property of data.

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In nominal scales, numbers, such as driver’s license and product serial numbers, are used to
name of identify people, objects of events. Gender is an example of a nominal measurement in
which number is used to label one gender such as males and a different number is used for the
other gender, females. Numbers do not mean that one gender is better or worse than the other;
they simply are used to classify persons.

This scale can be placed into categories but can’t be multiplied, divided, added or subtracted
from one another. It’s also not possible to measure the difference between data points.

Nominal data can be broken down into three categories

Nominal with order: Some nominal data can be sub-categorised in order, such as “cold, warm,
hot and very hot.”

Nominal without order: Nominal data can also be sub-categorised as nominal without order,
such as male and female.

Dichotomous: Dichotomous data is defined by having only two categories or levels, such as
“yes’ and ‘no’.

Examples of these classifications include gender, nationality, ethnicity, language, genre, style,
biological species, and form. Other concrete examples are;

In grammar, the parts of speech: noun, verb, preposition, article, pronoun, etc.

In politics, power projection: hard power, soft power

In Biology, the taxonomic ranks below domains: Archaea, Bacteria and Eukarya

Nominal scales were often called qualitative scales, and measurements made on qualitative
scales were called qualitative data.

There are two ways in which a nominal scale data can be collected:

1. By asking an open-ended question, the answer to which can be coded to respective

number of label decided by the researcher.
2. The other alternative is to indicate a multiple choice question in which the answers will
be labeled.

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In both cases, the analysis of gathered data will happen using percentages or mode, i.e. the most
common item, is allowed as the measure of central tendency for the nominal scale (Manikandan,
2011).

Nominal scale example

Gender

Political preference

Place of residence

What is your gender? What is your political Where do you live?

preference?
M-Male 1- Independent 1- Suburbs
F-Female 2- Democrat 2- City
3- Republican 3- Town
Table 2: Example of Nominal Scale

2. Ordinal scales

The ordinal scale defines data that is placed in a specific order. While each value is ranked,
there’s no information that specifies what differentiates the categories from each other. These
values can’t be added to or subtracted from. The ordinal scale possesses the quality of
magnitude. Here the numbers are assigned to the object to determine the relative extent to which
certain characteristics are possessed, i.e. identifying whether an object has less or more
characteristics than another object.

In ordinal scales, numbers represent rank order and indicate the order of quality or quantity, but
they do not provide an amount of quantity or degree of quality. Usually, the number means that
the person (or object or event) is better that the person labelled 2; person 2 is better than 3, and
so forth. E.g. to rank order persons in terms of potential for promotion, with the person assigned
the 1 rating having more potential than the person assigned a rating of 2. Such ordinal scaling
does not, however, indicate how much more potential the leader has over the person assigned a
rating of 2, and there may be very little difference between 1 and 2 here. The median and mode
is allowed as the measure of central tendency. In 1946, Stevens observed that psychological

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measurement, such as measurement of opinions, usually operates on ordinal scales; thus means
and standard deviations have no validity, but they can be used to get ideas for how to improve
operationalization of variables used in questionnaires (Cliff, 1996; Cliff and Keats, 2003;
Michell, 2008 in Lord, Novick and Birnbaum, 1968). In particular (Sheskin, 2007), IQ scores
reflects an ordinal scale, in which all scores are meaningful for comparisons only (Barthlomew,
2004). There is no absolute zero, and a 10-point difference may carry different meanings at
different points of the scale.

An example of this kind of data would include satisfaction data points in a survey, where ‘one =
happy, two = neutral, and three = unhappy.’ Where someone finished in a race also describes
ordinal data. While first place, second place or third place shows what order the runners finished
in, it doesn’t specify how far the first-place finisher was in front of the second-place finisher.

Ordinal scale data can be presented in tabular or graphical formats for a researcher to conduct a
convenient analysis of collected data. Also, methods such as Mann Whitney U-test and Kruskal
Wallis H-test can also be used to analyze ordinal data. These methods are generally implemented
to compare two or more ordinal groups. In the Mann Whitney U-test, researchers can conclude
which variable of one group is bigger or smaller than another variable of a randomly selected
group. While in the Kruskal Wallis H-test, researchers can analyze whether two or more ordinal
groups have the same median or not.

Ordinal scale examples

Status at workplace, tournament team rankings, order of product quality, and order of agreement
or satisfaction are some of the most common examples of the ordinal scale. These scales are
generally used in market research to gather and evaluate relative feedback about product
satisfaction, changing perceptions with product upgrades, etc.

This scale not only assigns values to the variables but also measures the rank or order of the
variables, such as:

 Grades
 Satisfaction
 Happiness

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How satisfied are you with our services?

 1- Very Unsatisfied
 2- Unsatisfied
 3-Neutral
 4- Satisfied
 5- Very Satisfied

3. Interval scale

This is a scale in which the objects are rated in such a way that numerically equal distance on the
scale depict the equal distance in the traits being measured. The interval scale possesses both the
magnitude and equal intervals, but no absolute zeros. The interval scale contains properties of
nominal and ordered data, but the difference between data points can be quantified. This type of
data shows both the order of the variables and the exact differences between the variables. They
can be added to or subtracted from each other, but not multiplied or divided. For example, 40
degrees is not 20 degrees multiplied by two.

In interval scales, numbers form a continuum and provide information about the amount of
difference, but the scale lacks a true zero. The difference between adjacent numbers are equal or
known. If zero is used, it simply serves as a reference point on the scale but does not indicate the
complete absence of the characteristics being measured.

The mode, median and arithmetic mean are allowed to measure central tendency of interval
variables, while measures of statistical dispersion include range and standard deviation. Since
one can only divide by differences, one cannot define measures that require some ratios, such as
the coefficient of variation.

Interval scale examples

- There are situations where attitude scales are considered to be interval scales
- Apart from the temperature scale, time is also a very common example of an interval
scale as the values are already established, constant and measurable.
- Calendar years and time also fall under this category of measurement scales.

4. Ratio scales

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Ratio scales have all of the characteristics of interval scales as well as a true zero, which refers to
complete absence of the characteristics being measured. It is the highest scale that allows the
researcher to identify the objects, assign rank or order to the objects and compare the differences
or intervals. The ratio scale of measurement includes properties from all four scales of
measurement. The data is nominal and defined by an identity, can be classified in order, contains
intervals and can be broken down into exact value. Weight, height and distance are all examples
of ratio variables. Data in the ratio scale can be added, subtracted, divided and multiplied. Ratio
scales also differ from interval scales in that the scale has a ‘true zero’. The number zero means
that the data has no value point. An example of this is height or weight, as someone cannot be
zero centimetres tall or weigh zero kilos – or be negative centimetres or negative kilos. Examples
of the use of this scale are calculating shares or sales. Of all types of data on the scales of
measurement, data scientists can do the most with ratio data points.

The ratio type takes its name from the fact that measurement is the estimation of the ratio
between a magnitude of a continuous quantity and a unit of measurement of the same kind. Most
measurement in the physical sciences and engineering is done on ratio scales. Examples include
mass, length, duration, plane angle, energy and electric charge. In contrast to interval scales,
ratios can be compared using division. The geometric mean and the harmonic mean are allowed
to measure the central tendency. In addition to the mean, median and mode, the studentized
range and the coefficient of variation are allowed to measure statistical dispersion.

Physical characteristics of person and objects can be measured with ratio scales, and thus, height
and weight are examples of ratio measurement. A score of 0 means there is complete absence of
height or weight. A person who is 1.2 metres tall is two-thirds as a 1.8metre tall person.

- Ratio scales provides the most detailed information as researchers and statisticians can
calculate the central tendency using statistical techniques such as mean, median, mode
and methods such as geometric mean, the coefficient of variation, or harmonic mean can
also be used on this scale
- Ratio scale accommodates the characteristics of three other variable measurement scales,
i.e. labeling the variables, the significance of the order of variables and calculable
differences between variables
- Because of the existence of true zero, the ratio scale doesn’t have negative values

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 - To decide when to use a ratio scale, the researcher must observe whether the variables
have all the characteristics of an interval scale along with the presence of the absolute
zero value.
- Mean, mode and median can be calculated using the ratio scale.

Ratio scale examples

The following questions fall under the Ratio Scale category:

- What is your daughter’s current height?

 Less than 5 feet
 5 feet 1 inch- 5 feet 5 inches
 5 feet 6 inches
 More than 6 feet
- What is your weight in kilograms?
 less than 50 kilograms
 51-70 kilograms
 71-90 kilograms
 91-110 kilograms
 More than 110 kilograms

Ratio Absolute zero

Interval Distance is meaningful
Ordinal
Attributes can be ordered

Nominal Attributes are only named; weakest

Fig 1: Scales of Measurement

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 REFERENCES

Barthlomew, D.J. (2004). Measuring intelligence: Facts and Fallacies. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press. P.50. ISBN 978-0-521-54478-8.

https://www.questionpro.com/blog/nominal-ordinal-interval-ratio/

Kirch, W. (2008). “Level of Measurement”. Encyclopedia of Public Health. Vol. 2. Springer. Pp.
851-852.

Manikandan, S. (2011). “Measures of central tendency: Median and Mode”. Journal of

Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapeutics. 2(3): 214-5

Lord, F.M., Novick, M.R., and Birnbaum, A. (1968). Statistical theories of mental test scores.
Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley. P.21.

Sheskin, D. (2007). Handbook of Parametric and Non-parametric statistical procedures (4th ed.).
boca Raton: Chapman & Hall/CRC. P.3. ISBN 978-1-58488-814-7.

UNSW (2020). Types of data and the scales of measurement.

https:www.studyonline.com.unsw.edu.au

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