This document discusses different types of scales and scaling techniques used in research. There are four main types of measurement scales: nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio scales. Nominal scales classify objects without quantitative values, ordinal scales rank objects, interval scales have equal differences between variables, and ratio scales have absolute values with zero as a meaningful point. Common scaling techniques include Guttman scales which determine attitude specificity, Likert scales which measure levels of agreement, and semantic differential scales which allow comparing concepts on a spectrum between two extremes.

1. TYPES OF SCALES
AND
SCALING TECHNIQUES
BY
A.RAJA

2. SCALING:
According to Edwards, It can be defined as,
”Procedure for the assignment of numbers (or other
symbols) to a property of objects in order to impart
some of the characteristics of numbers to the properties
in question”.

3. Types of Scales:
There are basically four types of measurement scales.
They are:
1) Nominal Scale
2) Ordinal Scale
3) Interval Scale
4) Ratio Scale

4. i) Nominal Scale:
•This is the fundamental form of measurement scale.
•This scale is used to categorize or classify the object.
•The values represented in this scales need not be
necessarily quantitative values, this makes it
qualitative in nature.
Example:
1) Gender of a person:
a) Male b) Female
2) Educational status of a person:
a)Literate b)Illiterate

5. ii) Ordinal Scale:
•This scale seeks to RANK the given data on the basis
of its characteristics.
• The respondents are required to rank the objects from
highest to lowest preferential order.
• In this scale, the responses have nominal properties
and also go a step further and attempt to relatively
quantify the data by assigning values.

6. ii) Ordinal Scale: cont…
Example:
Consumers may be asked to rank five popular brands of
automobiles on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 representing the most
preferred and 5 representing the least.
1) Maruti Suzuki __________
2) Hyundai __________
3) Tata Motors __________
4) Ford __________
5) Renault __________

7. iii) Interval Scale:
•In this scale, relative values are assigned to the
variables.
•This scale is improvement over ordinal scale.
•In this the difference between two variables is equal.
Example:
1) The difference between 100 degrees and 110 degrees
is same as the difference between 60 degrees and 70
degrees.

8. iii) Interval Scale: cont…
Example:
2) What is your age? (choose the answer)
a) Below 10 years _______
b) 10 to 20 years _______
c)20 to 30 years _______
d) 30 to 40 years _______

9. iv) Ratio Scale:
•It is the most refined and sophisticated form of scale.
•In ratio scale the variables do not have a relative value
but an absolute value.
•In this the absence of any characteristic denoted with
the value zero.
For Example:
1)100 Kelvin is twice as hot as 50 Kelvin
2)100 Kg is twice as heavy as 50 Kg

10. SCALING TECHNIQUES
1) Guttman scale
2) Likert Scale
3) Semantic Differential Scale
Note: The above three scaling techniques comes under
rating scales.

11. 1) Guttman Scale:
• This scale is generally formulated in a dichotomous format(
“agree” or “disagree” type statements).
• This scale is used to determine the level of specificity of an
attitude.
Example:
Checkmark the below statements with which you agree:
1) I love my father ( )
2) I love my father more than my job ( )
3) I love my father more than my home ( )
4) I love my father more than my mother ( )

12. 2) Likert Scale:
•This scale is one of the most widely used scales in research.
•These scales are mostly used in questionnaires in surveys.
•This scale is constructed with the help of five or seven points where
the levels of agreement are mentioned regarding a statement.
Example: A person may be asked to select the level of agreement on
the following statements.
Environment of a family affects the mental growth of a child:
1) Strongly disagree ( )
2) Disagree ( )
3) Neither agree nor disagree ( )
4) Agree ( )
5) Strongly agree ( )

13. 3) Semantic Differential Scale:
• It is constructed using seven points.
• At both the ends of the scale, two extreme values are
associated related to a concept.
• It is usually conducted to know the perceptions about
a brand or a company or a product etc.
• It allows comparing the company’s products with
other competitor products.

14. 3) Semantic Differential Scale: cont…
Example: The taste and quality of food in a restaurant:
Very satisfactory
a) +3
b) +2
c) +1
d) 0
e) -1
f) -2
g) -3
Very unsatisfactory

15. THANK YOU