INTRODUCTION

Rating is the term used to express opinion or judgment regarding

some performance of a person, object, situation and character. The
rating scale involves qualitative description of a limited number of
aspects of a thing or traits of a person. The ratings are done by
parents, teachers, a board of interviewers and judges and by the
self as well. These ratings scale given an idea of the personality of
an individual.
 DEFINITION

Rating is a term applied to expression of opinion or

judgement regarding some situation, object or character.
Opinions are usually expressed on a scale of values.

-Barr and Others

Rating scale is a device by which judgments may be

qualified or an opinion concerning a trait can be
systematized.
-
Suresh K. Sharma
 PRINCIPLES OF RATING SCALES

It should be educationally significant.

It should be directly observable.
It should be clearly defined.
It should be between 3 and 7 positions and provided raters
should permit to mark at intermediate points.
Raters should be oriented to specific scales.
Rating from several observers should be combined whenever
possible.
 TYPES OF RATING SCALES
1. GRAPHIC RATING SCALE : In this scale, the performance
is printed horizontally at various points from lowest to
highest. It includes the numerical points on the scale. It is
anchored by two extremes presented to respondents for the
evaluation of a concept or object. Rating is made by placing a
check on the line.
Were the illustrations used interesting?

1 2 3 4 5

Too little Little Adequate Much Too much

2. DESCRIPTIVE RATING SCALE: This type of rating scale
does not use numbers but divides the assessment into a series of
verbal phrases to indicate the level of performance. Provide for
each trait a list of descriptive phrases from which the rater
selects the one most applicable item being rated, selected
usually by means of a check mark. This type of scale is
generally the most desirable type of scale to use.
For example- Q. Judge the level of performance of the nursing
personnel in a medical ICU.
Nursing Level of Clinical Performance
Personnel in a Very Active Active Moderately Passive
Ward Active

1. Amandeep
2. Jasveen
3. Tara
4. Kirandeep
3. NUMERICAL RATING SCALE: In these scales, each
statement is generally assigned a numerical score ranging from 1
to 10 or even more. The rater assigns a code numbers and
approximate numbers to each trait of the person being rated or to
the descriptive phases.

DIRECTION: Encircle the appropriate number showing the

extend to which the pupil exhibits his skill in questioning.

KEY: 5-outstanding, 4-above average, 3-average, 2-below

average, 1-unsatisfactory
SKILL
I. Questions were specific 12345
II. Questions were relevant to topic discussed 12345
III. Questioning were grammatically correct, etc 12345
4. COMPARATIVE RATING SCALE: The rater has clear
knowledge of the activities of the given groups or individuals.
The positions on the rating scales are explicitly defined in
terms of a given population or group or in terms of people with
known characteristics. The rater may be asked to specify the
comparative ability of a teacher with reference to the teaching
in a college. In this type of rating scale, the rater makes a
judgement about a person’s attributes by comparing with other
similar persons.
For example: Mr. Ram’s decision making abilities closely
resemble that of Mr. Shyam and Mr. Gopal. In this type of
rating scale, the rater must have beforehand knowledge about
the selected attributes of the people with whom the subjects
are supposed to be compared.
 CHARACTERISTICS OF A RATING SCALE

Rating scales are value judgements of the attributes of one person

by another person.
Guiford (1954) identified that a rating scale must have the
following basic characteristics that must be taken care of while
construction of a rating scale.
• Clarity- The rating scale must be constructed using short, concise
statements in simple and unambiguous language.
• Relevance- The statement designed in a rating scale should be
relevant to the phenomenon and should be exactly in accordance
with the variables under study.
• Variety- While developing the rating scale, monotony of the
statements must be avoided and variety in different statements
must be ensured.
• Objectivity- The statement formed in a rating scale must be
objective in nature so that it is convenient for the rater to judge
the attributes or performances of the subjects.
• Uniqueness- Each statement constructed in a rating scale must
be unique in itself so that the attributes can be judged
appropriately.
 ADVANTAGES OF A RATING SCALE

Rating scales are easy to administer and score the measured

attributes.
Technically, rating-scale is standard device for recording
qualitative and quantitative judgements about observed
performance
Rating scale can be easily used for a large group.
They have a wide range of application in nursing educational
evaluation.
Clarity of feedback to students.
 DISADVANTAGES OF RATING SCALES

It is difficult or dangerous to fix up rating about many aspects

of an individual.
Misuse can result in a decrease in objectivity.
There are chances of subjective evaluation thus the scales
may become unscientific and reliable.
Chances like the rater may over estimate the qualities of a
known person and underestimate those of unknown persons.