Measurement and Scaling

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2.  Understand the role of measurement in
marketing research
 Explain the four basic levels of scales
 Describe scale development and its
importance gathering primary data
 Discuss comparative and noncomparative
scales

3.  Measurement is the process of assigning numbers or
labels to objects, persons, states, or events in
accordance with specific rules to represent quantities
or qualities of attributes.
 We do not measure specific objects, persons, etc.,
we measure attributes or features that define them.
 Ex., What defines the person Brent Wren? What is a
student’s level of education? How customer oriented
is our company?
 Overriding Goal: To provide a valid and reliable
description or enumeration of the person, objects,
issue, etc.

4.  Why do scores on a measurement scale differ?
◦ A true difference in the characteristic being
measured.
◦ Short-term personal factors (e.g., moods, time
constraints)
◦ Situational factors (e.g., surroundings)
◦ Variations in method of administering survey.
◦ Sampling of items included in the questionnaire.
◦ Lack of clarity in the measurement instrument.
◦ Mechanical or instrument factors causing
completion errors.

5. 1. Define concepts to be measured
2. Define attributes of the concepts
3. Select scale of measurement (data type)
4. Generate Items/Questions
◦ Wording
◦ Response format
1. Layout and design questionnaire
2. Pretest and refine

6.  Concept or Construct
◦ A generalized idea about a class of objects,
attributes, occurrences, or processes
◦ Concrete – demographics, traffic patterns, purchase
quantity
◦ Abstract – loyalty, personality, satisfaction, leadership
 Attribute
◦ A single characteristic or fundamental feature of an
object, person, situation, or issue
◦ Often measure multiple attributes

7. 1. Define concepts to be measured
2. Define attributes of the concepts
3. Select scale of measurement (data type)
4. Generate Items/Questions
◦ Wording
◦ Response format
1. Layout and design questionnaire
2. Pretest and refine

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9. Nominal scales focus on only requiring a
respondent to provide some type of
descriptor as the raw response
Example.
Please indicate your current martial status.
__Married __ Single __ Single, never married __ Widowed

10. Ordinal scales allow the respondent to
express “relative magnitude” between the raw
responses to a question
Example.
Which one statement best describes your opinion of an Intel PC processor?
__ Higher than AMD’s PC processor
__ About the same as AMD’s PC processor
__ Lower than AMD’s PC processor

11. Interval scales demonstrate the absolute
differences between each scale point
Example.
How likely are you to recommend the Santa Fe Grill to a friend?
Definitely will not Definitely will
1 2 3 4 5 6 7

12. Ratio scales allow for the identification of
absolute differences between each scale point,
and absolute comparisons between raw
responses
Example 1.
Please circle the number of children under 18 years of age currently living in your
household.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 (if more than 7, please specify ___.)

13.  Understanding of the questions
 Discriminatory power of scale descriptors
 Balanced versus unbalanced scales
 Forced or nonforced choice scales
 Desired measure of central tendency and
dispersion

14.  Central Tendency
◦ Mode
◦ Median
◦ Mean
 Dispersion
◦ Frequency
distribution
◦ Range
◦ Standard deviations

15.  If a nominal scale is used, analysis of raw data can
only be done using modes and frequency
distributions
 If ordinal scales are used, analysis of raw data can
be done using medians and ranges (plus modes and
frequency distributions)
 If interval or ratio scales are used, analysis of raw
data can be done through the use of sample means
and estimated standard deviations as the sample
statistic (plus the above)

16. 1. Define concepts to be measured
2. Define attributes of the concepts
3. Select scale of measurement (data type)
4. Generate Items/Questions
◦ Wording
◦ Response format
1. Layout and design questionnaire
2. Pretest and refine

17.  Items are basically questions
 Need to ensure that enough questions are
asked to generate information necessary to
address research problems.
 Likely will have a mix of question types and
scales of measurement
 Multi-item, Composite or Index Measures
◦ A measurement scale containing multiple questions
addressing same construct or attribute

18.  Likert Scale
 Likert-Type Scale
 Semantic Differential Scale
 Behavioral Intention Scale
 Noncomparative Scales
 Comparative Scales

19. A likert scale is
an ordinal scale format
that asks respondents
to indicate the extent to which
they agree or disagree with a series of
mental or behavioral belief
statements about a given object

21. A semantic differential scale is
unique bipolar ordinal scale format
that captures a person’s attitudes
and/or feelings about a given object

23. A behavioral intention scale is
a special type of rating scale designed
to capture the likelihood that people
will demonstrate some type of
predictable behavior intent
toward purchasing an object or service
in a future time frame

25.  Noncomparative Rating Scales
◦ format that requires a judgment without reference to
another object, person, or concept
 Comparative Rating Scales
◦ format that requires a judgment comparing one object,
person, or concept against another on the scale

28. 1. Define concepts to be measured
2. Define attributes of the concepts
3. Select scale of measurement (data type)
4. Generate Items/Questions
◦ Wording
◦ Response format
1. Layout and design questionnaire
2. Pretest and refine

29.  Major Issues
◦ What should be included?
 Comes from objectives, construct definitions, and associated
attributes
◦ How should questions be phrased?
◦ In what sequence should questions be arranged?
◦ What layout will best serve the research objectives?

30.  Open-ended vs. Closed-ended
 Simple dichotomous vs. Multi-choice
◦ A place for every respondent but only one place
(Exhaustive and Mutually Exclusive)
◦ Range of choices needs to be consistent with the
sample (ex. income categories for students vs.
professionals)
 How to handle “no opinion” or “not applicable”
respondents?
 Do you need odd or even number of choices?

31.  Use simple language that is consistent with
your population
 Be as specific as possible
 Avoid leading and loaded questions
 Avoid double-barreled questions
◦ Ex. How would you rate our company’s service,
selection of products, and prices?
 Avoid questions that are too difficult to answer

32.  Always begin with simple, non-offensive
questions and get more complex as you move
along.
◦ Funneling technique
 Pay attention to whether certain questions are
relevant for every respondent or only some
◦ Use branching or filter questions appropriately
 Give clear instructions for completing
questionnaire
 Use appropriate fonts and white space to avoid
crowding

33.  The following links will provide you copies of
questionnaires that have been developed and used
in this class before.
 Madison Resident Survey
◦ http://cas.uah.edu/wrenb/mkt343/madison.final.doc
 University Fitness Center
◦ http://cas.uah.edu/wrenb/mkt343/ufc.doc
 Graduating Students Survey
◦ http://cas.uah.edu/wrenb/mkt343/graduating student survey.doc
 Panoply
◦ http://cas.uah.edu/wrenb/mkt343/panoply.doc
 Huntsville Land Trust
◦ http://cas.uah.edu/wrenb/mkt343/landtrust.ques.doc