McGraw-Hill/Irwin © 2004 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Chapter 5

Creating Item Scales

5-2

Why Scales Are Used

• Respondents typically choose a position• Within some category• Along some spectrum

• Reports describe the distribution• Within categories• Along the spectrum

• Positions can then be compared• Among individuals• Among groups

5-3

Scale Specificity

• Implicit Scale Dimensions• The scale is implied by the question• “What is your age?”• “How much did you spend?”

• Explicit Scale Dimensions• “How many miles did you drive?”• “How many days did you stay?”

• Depicted Scales• “Strong 1 2 3 4 5 Weak”• “Always - Often - Sometimes - Rarely - Never”

5-4

Please check your favorite brand of pizza:

__ Bruno’s__ Gino’s__ Guido’s

AG__ Joseppi’s__ Other (What:___________)

Multiple-Choice, Single Response Question

5-5

Please check any brand of pizzalisted below that you’ve tried:

___ Bruno’s

AH___ Gino’s

AI___ Guido’s

AJ___ Joseppi’s

AK

Multiple-Choice, Multiple Response Question

5-6

For each statement, please pick a number from the scale to show how much you agree or disagree and jot it in the space in front of the item.

SCALE1 = Strongly Agree2 = Agree3 = Neutral4 = Disagree5 = Strongly Disagree

__ Town zoning regulations should be strictly enforced.__ Air pollution should be monitored and reported.__ More police officers and fire fighters are needed.

Likert Scale

5-7

Please pick a number from the scale to show how often you do each of the things listed when grocery shopping.

SCALE1 = Always

2 = Often3 = Sometimes4 = Rarely5 = Never

__ Check the unit pricing sticker before choosing the item.__ Read the nutritional labeling on food before buying it.__ Watch prices as each item is scanned at checkout.

Verbal Frequency Scale

5-8

If you were to relocate to another city, at what point would you begin looking for a moving company?

Please check only ONE item.

Ordinal Scale

__ When you first began considering a move.__ When you suspected that you would move.__ When you first decide that you would move.__ Well before you were scheduled to move.__ Shortly before you were scheduled to move.

5-9

_ AT&TLJ

_ MCILK

_ SprintLL

Please rank the three long distance telephone companies in their order of preference to you. Rank the one you prefer MOST as number 1, second best as number 2, and LEAST preferred as number 3.

Forced Ranking Scale

5-10

For each pair of candidates listed below, please put a check mark in the space by the one you would vote for if you had to choose between them.

__ Andrews__ Baker

__ Baker__ Clark

__ Clark__ Andrews

Paired Comparison Scale

5-11

Compared to the previous city manager, the new one is . . .

[Please check one space on each line.]

Much About MuchLess As More

Honest ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

Likable ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

Effective ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

Caring ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

Comparative Scale

5-12

Please put a check mark beside any word that describes this service.

__ Economical__ High-Tech__ Frivolous__ Time-Saving__ Reliable__ Dangerous

Adjective Check List

5-13

Please circle a number beside each item to show how well you think it describes this service.

Perfectly Not at AllEconomical 1 2 3 4 5High-Tech 1 2 3 4 5Frivolous 1 2 3 4 5Time-Saving 1 2 3 4 5Reliable 1 2 3 4 5Dangerous 1 2 3 4 5

Semantic Distance Scale

5-14

Please check a space on each line to show your opinion of this service.

EconomicalHigh-TechFrivolous

Time-SavingReliable

Dangerous

ExtravagantLow-TechPracticalTime-WastingUnreliableSafe

__:__:__:__:__:__:____:__:__:__:__:__:____:__:__:__:__:__:____:__:__:__:__:__:____:__:__:__:__:__:____:__:__:__:__:__:__

Semantic Differential Scale

5-15

Fixed Sum Scale

How many of the last ten phone calls you received at your desk requesting information fall into each category?

(Please be sure the total equals 10)

__ Customer service requests__ Technical service requests__ Other inquires or requests

Total = 10

5-16

Please rate the fruits listed below according to how much you like or dislike each by picking a number from the scale and jotting it in the space beside the item.

VeryBad

VeryGood

SCALE1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Linear, Numeric Scale

__ Apples__ Blueberries__ Cranberries__ Dates

5-17

Please circle a number on each line to show your opinion of each kind of vehicle.

Automobile 1 2 3 4 5 6 7Motorcycle 1 2 3 4 5 6 7Sport Utility 1 2 3 4 5 6 7Minivan 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

ExtremelyUnsafe

ExtremelySafe

Multiple Rating List

5-18

Auto SUV MinivanSafety ___ ___ ___

Comfort ___ ___ ___Economy ___ ___ ___

Durability ___ ___ ___

For every space below each kind of vehicle listed, please pick a number from the scale that shows your opinion of that feature and jot it in each space.

ExtremelyPoor

ExtremelyGood

SCALE1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Multiple Rating Matrix

5-19

Stair-Step Scale

54

32

1

5-20

Picture ScalesHappy-Sad Faces

1 2 3 4 5

5-21

Bottle Picture Scale

1 532 4

McGraw-Hill/Irwin © 2004 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

End of Chapter 5