rating scale

n. A measurement scale using categories or descriptive phrases to represent quantitative values; often used in social science research to measure attitudes, perceptions, or performance levels. For example, student course evaluations often use Likert-type rating scales which ask students to rate various dimensions of their course experience. A statement such as “I found the lectures relevant and informative” may be rated according to the following response options:

1. strongly agree
2. agree
3. neutral
4. disagree
5. strongly disagree

Alternatively, rating scales may utilize a category format which asks respondents to indicate their level of agreement on a numeric scale. Using a 10-point rating system, respondents may be asked “On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 representing no jealousy and 10 representing extreme jealousy, how much jealousy would you feel if you saw your mate talking to another person of the opposite sex?” Regardless of whether the measurement is using a Likert or category type response option, rating scales assign numbers to represent the category descriptions. Despite the assignment of quantitative information, one must be careful in interpreting and manipulating rating scales as the numbers only provide ordinal data (which does not allow for mathematical calculations). – BJM