Measurement: scaling, reliability and validity

11 important questions on Measurement: scaling, reliability and validity

Is the likert scale an ordinal or interval scale?

ordinal in nature but generally treated as interval

Which 2 scaling techniques are commonly used in business research?

rating and ranking scales

Rating scales used in business research

- Dichotomous scale
- Category scale
- Semantic differential scale
- Numerical scale
- Itemized rating scale
- Likert scale
- Fixed or constant sum rating scale
- Stapel scale
- Graphic rating scale
- Consensus scale
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Semantic differential scale

Used to assess respondents' attitudes toward a particular brand, advertisement, object, or individual.

Itemized rating scale

Provides the flexibility to use as many points in the scale as considered necessary, and it is also possible to use different anchors. When a neutral point is provided, it is a balanced rating scale, and when it is not, it is an unbalanced rating scale.

Graphic rating scale

Helps the respondents to indicate on this scale their answers to a particular question by placing a mark at the appropriate point on the line. It is an ordinal scale. Scale is easy to respond to.

Interval or interval-like data

Lend themselves to the other rating scales.

Semantic differential and the numerical scales

Strictly speaking not interval scales.

Ways in which the forms of validity can be established are through the following

- Correlational analysis.
- Factor analysis, a multivariate technique that confirms the dimensions of the concept that have been operationally defined, as well as indicating which of the items are most appropriate for each dimension.
- Multitrait, multi-method matrix of correlations derived from measuring concepts by different forms and different methods, additionally establishing the robustness of the measure.

Reliability of a measure

Indicates the extent to which it is without bias and hence ensures consistent measurement across time and across the various items in the instrument.

Interitem consistency reliability

A test of the consistency of respondents answers to all the items in a measure. Most popular test of interitem consistency reliability --> Cronbach's coefficient alpha which is used for multipoint-scaled items, and the Kuder-Richardson formulas used for dichotomous items. The higher the coefficients, the better the measuring instrument.

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