MEASUREMENT AND SCALING

TECHNIQUES
INTRODUCTION
• The data consists of quantitative variables like price, income, sales etc.,
and qualitative variables like knowledge, performance, character etc. The
qualitative information must be converted into numerical form for further
analysis. This is possible through measurement and scaling techniques.
• A common feature of survey based research is to have respondent’s
feelings, attitudes, opinions, etc. in some measurable form.
• For example, a bank manager may be interested in knowing the opinion
of the customers about the services provided by the bank. Similarly, a fast
food company having a network in a city may be interested in assessing
the quality and service provided by them.
MEASUREMENT AND SCALING
• Measurement: Measurement is the process of observing and recording
the observations that are collected as part of research. The recording of
the observations may be in terms of numbers or other symbols to
characteristics of objects according to certain prescribed rules. The
respondent’s, characteristics are feelings, attitudes, opinions etc.
• We assign numbers to these characteristics for two reasons.
1) First, the numbers facilitate further statistical analysis of data obtained.
2) Second, numbers facilitate the communication of measurement rules
and results.
• Scaling: 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. For example, consider a scale
locating customers of a bank according to the characteristic “agreement to
the satisfactory quality of service provided by the branch”. Each customer
interviewed may respond with a semantic like ‘strongly agree’, or
‘somewhat agree’, or ‘somewhat disagree’, or ‘strongly disagree’.
• We may even assign each of the responses a number.
• For example, we may assign strongly agree as ‘1’, agree as ‘2’ disagree as
‘3’, and strongly disagree as ‘4’. Therefore, each of the respondents may
assign 1, 2, 3 or 4.
LEVELS OF MEASUREMENT SCALES
• The level of measurement refers to the relationship among the values that
are assigned to the attributes, feelings or opinions for a variable.
• We are simply using the numbers as shorter placeholders for the lengthier
text terms. We don’t mean that higher values mean ‘more’ of something or
lower values mean ‘less’ of something.
• We simply use the values as a shorter name for the attributes, opinions, or
feelings. The assigned values of attributes allow the researcher more scope
for further processing of data and statistical analysis.
• 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.
Characteristics of a Measurement Scales
1) Identity:- Identity is defined as the assignment of numbers to the values of each variable in a data
set. Consider a questionnaire that asks for a respondent's gender with the options Male and Female
for instance. The values 1 and 2 can be assigned to Male and Females respectively. Arithmetic
operations can not be performed on these values because they are just for identification purposes.
This is a characteristic of a nominal scale.
2) Magnitude:- The magnitude is defined as the size of a measurement scale, where numbers (the
identity) have an inherent order from least to highest. They are usually represented on the scale in
ascending or descending order. The position in a race, for example, is arranged from the 1st, 2nd,
3rd to the least.
3) Equal intervals:- Equal Intervals are defined as the scale that has a standardized order. I.e., the
difference between each level on the scale is the same. A variable that has an identity, magnitude,
and equal interval is measured on an interval scale.
4) Absolute zero:- Absolute zero is defined as the feature that is unique to a ratio scale. It means that
there is an existence of zero on the scale, and is defined by the absence of the variable being
measured (e.g. no qualification, no money, does not identify as any gender, etc.
What is data?
• In short, it’s a collection of measurements or observations, divided
into two different types: qualitative and quantitative.
• Qualitative data refers to information about qualities, or information
that cannot be measured. It’s usually descriptive and textual.
• Quantitative data is numerical. It’s used to define information that can
be counted. Some examples of quantitative data include distance,
speed, height, length and weight.
• It’s easy to remember the difference between qualitative and
quantitative data, as one refers to qualities, and the other refers to
quantities.
What is quantitative (numerical) data?
• Quantitative, or numerical, data can be broken down into two types:
discrete and continuous.
• Discrete data:- Discrete data is a whole number that can’t be divided or
broken into individual parts, fractions or decimals. Examples of discrete
data include the number of pets someone has – one can have two dogs
but not two-and-a-half dogs.
• Continuous data:- Continuous data describes values that can be broken
down into different parts, units, fractions and decimals. Continuous data
points, such as height and weight, can be measured. Time can also be
broken down – by half a second or half an hour. Temperature is another
example of continuous data.
Discrete versus continuous
• There’s an easy way to remember the difference between the two
types of quantitative data: data is considered discrete if it can be
counted and is continuous if it can be measured. Someone can count
students, tickets purchased and books, while one measures height,
distance and temperature.
What is qualitative (categorical) data?
• Qualitative data describes the qualities of data points and is non-
numerical. It’s used to define the information and can also be further
broken down into sub-categories through the four scales of
measurement.
• Scales of measurement is how variables are defined and categorized.
• Psychologist Stanley Stevens developed the four common scales of
measurement: nominal, ordinal, interval and ratio.
1. Nominal scale of measurement
• The nominal scale of measurement defines the identity property of data. This scale
has certain characteristics, but doesn’t have any form of numerical meaning. The
data 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 again into three categories:
1) Nominal with order: Some nominal data can be sub-categorized in order, such as
“cold, warm, hot and very hot.”
2) Nominal without order: Nominal data can also be sub-categorized as nominal
without order, such as male and female.
3) Dichotomous: Dichotomous data is defined by having only two categories or levels,
such as “yes’ and ‘no’.
2. Ordinal scale of measurement
• 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.
• 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, you may wish to ask the TV viewers to rank the TV
channels according to their preference.
• The main characteristic of the ordinal scale is that the categories have
a logical or ordered relationship. This type of scale permits the
measurement of degrees of difference, (that is, ‘more’ or ‘less’) but
not the specific amount of differences (that is, how much ‘more’ or
‘less’).
• Another example is that a fast food home delivery shop may wish to
ask its customers:
3. Interval scale of measurement
• 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.
• This scale is also characterized by the fact that the number zero is an existing variable.
In the ordinal scale, zero means that the data does not exist. In the interval scale, zero
has meaning – for example, if you measure degrees, zero has a temperature.
• Data points on the interval scale have the same difference between them. The
difference on the scale between 10 and 20 degrees is the same between 20 and 30
degrees. This scale is used to quantify the difference between variables, whereas the
other two scales are used to describe qualitative values only.
4. Ratio scale of measurement
• Ratio scales of measurement include 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
centimeters tall or weigh zero kilos – or be negative centimeters or
negative kilos. Examples of the use of this scale are calculating shares or
sales.
TYPES OF SCALING TECHNIQUES
• The various types of scaling techniques used in research can be
classified into two categories: Comparative scales and Non-
comparative scales.
1) Comparative Scales:- In comparative scaling, respondents are asked
to make a comparison between one object and the other. When
used in market research, customers are asked to evaluate one
product in direct comparison to the others. Comparative scales can
be further divided into pair comparison, rank order, constant sum,
and q-sort scales.
Paired Comparison Scale
• Paired Comparison scale is a scaling technique that presents the
respondents with two objects at a time and asks them to choose one
according to a predefined criterion. Product researchers use it in
comparative product research by asking customers to choose the
most preferred to them in between two closely related products.
Rank Order Scale
• In rank order scaling technique, respondents are simultaneously
provided with multiple options and asked to rank them in order of
priority based on a predefined criterion. It is mostly used in marketing
to measure preference for a brand, product, or feature.
• When used in competitive analysis, the respondent may be asked to
rank a group of brands in terms of personal preference, product
quality, customer service, etc.
• The rank order scale is a type of ordinal scale because it orders the
attributes from the most preferred to the least preferred but does not
have a specific distance between the attributes.
Constant Sum Scale
• Constant Sum scale is a type of measurement scale where the
respondents are asked to allocate a constant sum of units such as
points, dollars, chips or chits among the stimulus objects according to
some specified criterion. The constant sum scale assigns a fixed number
of units to each attribute, reflecting the importance a respondent
attaches to it.
• This type of measurement scale can be used to determine what
influences a customer's decision when choosing which product to buy.
For example, you may wish to determine how important price, size,
fragrance, and packaging is to a customer when choosing which brand
of perfume to buy.
Q-Sort Scale
• Q-Sort scale is a type of measurement scale that uses a rank order scaling technique
to sort similar objects with respect to some criterion. The respondents sort the
number of statements or attitudes into piles, usually of 11.
• The Q-Sort Scaling helps in assigning ranks to different objects within the same
group, and the differences among the groups (piles) are clearly visible. It is a fast way
of facilitating discrimination among a relatively large set of attributes.

• For example, a new restaurant that is just preparing its menu may want to collect
some information about what potential customers like:
• The document provided contains a list of 50 meals. Please choose 10 meals you like,
30 meals you are neutral about (neither like nor dislike) and 10 meals you dislike.
2) Non-Comparative Scales
• In non-comparative scaling, customers are asked to only evaluate a
single object. This evaluation is totally independent of the other
objects under investigation. Sometimes called monadic or metric
scale, Non-Comparative scale can be further divided into continuous
and the itemized rating scales.
Continuous Rating Scale
• In continuous rating scale, respondents are asked to rate the objects
by placing a mark appropriately on a line running from one extreme
of the criterion to the other variable criterion. Also called the graphic
rating scale, it gives the respondent the freedom to place the mark
anywhere based on personal preference.
• Once the ratings are obtained, the researcher splits up the line into
several categories and then assign the scores depending on the
category in which the ratings fall. This rating can be visualized in both
horizontal and vertical form.
Itemized Rating Scale
• The itemized rating scale is a type of ordinal scale that assigns
numbers each attribute. Respondents are usually asked to select an
attribute that best describes their feelings regarding a predefined
criterion.
• The itemised rating scales can be in the form of : (a) graphic, (b)
verbal, or (c) numeric
• Itemized rating scale is further divided into; Likert scale, Stapel scale,
and semantic scale.
Likert Scale
• A Likert scale is an ordinal scale with five response categories, which
is used to order a list of attributes from the best to the least. This
scale uses adverbs of degree like very strongly, highly, etc. to indicate
the different levels.
Semantic Differential Scale
• This is a seven-point rating scale with endpoints associated with
bipolar labels (e.g. good or bad, happy, etc.). It can be used for
marketing, advertising and in different stages of product
development.
Stapel Scale
• This a scale with 10 categories, usually ranging from -5 to 5 with no
zero point. It is a vertical scale with 3 columns, where the attributes
are placed in the middle and the least (-5) and highest (5) is in the 1st
and 3rd columns respectively.
• How would you rate the new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 2 smartphone on
the following criteria? Use the scales given below and circle the right
numbers with +5 representing the most positive and -5 most negative
opinion.
+5 +5 +5 +5 +5 +5
+4 +4 +4 +4 +4 +4
+3 +3 +3 +3 +3 +3
+2 +2 +2 +2 +2 +2
+1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1
Style Display Quality Speed Battery Life Camera Quality Build Quality

-1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1
-2 -2 -2 -2 -2 -2
-3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3
-4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4
-5 -5 -5 -5 -5 -5
Scale Reliability and Validity
• A measure can be reliable but not valid, if it is measuring something
very consistently but is consistently measuring the wrong construct.
Likewise, a measure can be valid but not reliable if it is measuring the
right construct, but not doing so in a consistent manner.
• Using the analogy of a shooting target.
• A measure that is both reliable and valid consists of shots that
clustered within a narrow range near the center of the target.
• A measure that is valid but not reliable will consist of shots centered
on the target but not clustered within a narrow range, but rather
scattered around the target.
• Finally, a measure that is reliable but not valid will consist of shots
clustered within a narrow range but off from the target.
• Hence, reliability and validity are both needed to assure adequate
measurement.
Uni-dimensional and Multidimensional
Scales
• A Uni-dimensional measurement scale has only one (“uni”)
dimension. In other words, it can be represented by a single number
line.
• Some examples are: Height of people, weight of cars, Volume of
Liquid
• Uni-dimensional can also refer to measuring a single ability, attribute,
construct, or skill.
Uni-dimensional and Multidimensional
Scales
• A multidimensional scale has, as the name implies, multiple scales
(which you can think of as multiple number lines)
• Multidimensional Scaling has to measure several dimensions of a
respondent or object.
Thank You…!!