This Presentation Will Discuss…

• Nominal/Ordinal/Interval/Ratio Scales

• Types of self reports

• A few different scales & samples

• Question Content

• Questionnaire Layout

Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Company, Inc. All rights reserved 9-1

Nominal-Scaled Responses

• Numbers forming a nominal scale are no more than labels used solely to identify different categories of responses

• Example: What is your sex?– Male– Female

Nominal-Scaled Responses (Cont’d)

• Which one of the following media influences your purchasing decisions the most? – Television – Radio– Newspapers – Magazines– Internet

(Mode is the only statistics applicable to measuring nominal variables.)

Ordinal-Scaled Responses• An ordinal scale is more powerful than a nominal

scale in that the numbers possess the property of rank order

• How long do you spend reading newspapers on a typical weekday?– Less than 5 minutes

– 5 minutes to less than 15 minutes

– 15 minutes to less than 30 minutes

– 30 minutes or more

Mode & Median

Interval-Scaled Responses

• An interval scale has all the properties of an ordinal scale and the differences between the scale values can be meaningfully interpreted

Interval-Scaled Responses (Cont’d)

How likely are you to buy a new automobile within the next six months? (Please check the most appropriate category.)

Will definitely not buy _____ (1)

Extremely unlikely _____ (2)

Unlikely _____ (3)

Likely _____ (4)

Extremely likely _____ (5)

Will definitely buy _____ (6)Mean & S.D

Ratio-Scaled Responses• Ratio scales possess all the properties of an

interval scale and the ratios of numbers on these scales have meaningful interpretations

• What is your annual income before taxes?

$______

• How far is your workplace from your home? ______ miles

Mean & S.D

Types of self-reports

• Graphic vs. Itemized

• Forced vs. nonforced

• Balanced vs. unbalanced

• Labeled vs. unlabeled

Graphic Formats

• A graphic rating scale presents a continuum, in the form of a straight line, along which a theoretically infinite number of ratings are possible

• Example: Indicate your overall opinion about eBay by placing a mark at an appropriate position on the line below.

• Very Very

Bad Good

Itemized Formats (Cont’d)Indicate your overall opinion about eBay by checking one of the following

categories.

Very Neither Bad Very

Bad Bad nor Good Good Good

[ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Which of the following best describes your overall opinion of eBay?

Terrible Poor Fair Good Very good Excellent

[ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]

Forced vs Nonforced Response Choices

Forced

• A forced-choice scale does not give respondents the option of expressing a neutral or middle-ground attitude

• E.g., Bad, somewhat bad, somewhat good, good

Nonforced

• A non-forced-choice scale give respondents the option to express a neutral attitude

• E.g., Bad, somewhat bad, neutral, somewhat good, good

Non-Forced Response ChoicesIndicate your overall opinion about eBay by checking one of the following categories:

Very Neither Bad VeryBad Bad nor Good Good Good[ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

What is your overall rating of eBay in comparison with other auction sites?

Much worse Worse About the same Better Much better ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )

Forced Response Choices (Cont’d)

Indicate your overall opinion about eBay by placing a

mark in the category that best summarizes your feelings.

Very VeryBad Good[ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

What is your overall rating of eBay in comparison with other auction sites?

Much worse Worse Better Much better ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )

Balanced Response Choices

• A balanced scale is one that has an equal number of positive/favorable and negative/unfavorable response choices

Balanced Response ChoicesIndicate your overall opinion about eBay by checking one of the following categories:

Very Neither Bad VeryBad Bad nor Good Good Good[ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

What is your overall rating of eBay in comparison with other auction sites?

Much worse Worse About the same Better Much better ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )

Unbalanced Response Choices

• An unbalanced rating scale that can be used if respondents’ opinions about a subject are anticipated to be predominantly positive

Labeled vs. Unlabeled Response Choices

(a)

I didn’t like it at allI liked it a lot I liked it a little

(b)

Rating Scales with Picture Labels

Really hated it

Didn’t like it

It’s okLiked itReally liked it

*

*

*

**

*

**

**

**

*

**

How much did you like what you just saw?

Paired Comparison Scale

• In each of the following pairs, which store do you think is better?

(please check one online auction site within each pair.)

_______ Amazon or ______ eBay

_______ eBay or ______ Yahoo! Auction

_______ PriceLine.com or _______ eBay

_______ eBay or _______ Ubid.com

Constant Sum ScaleAllocate a total of 100 points among the following online auction sites, depending on how

favorably you feel toward each; the more highly you think of each store, the more points

you should allocate to it. (Please check that the allocated points add to 100.)

Yahoo! Auction ____ points

Amazon ____ points

PriceLine.com ____ points

eBay ____ points

Ubid.com ____ points

____

100

Likert Scale Items

6.

5.

4.

3.

2.

1.

________________________________________

The auction site support system is confusing

________________________________________

The auction site is notcareful with personal information

________________________________________

The auction site responds to complaints quickly

________

________

________

Agree

________

________

________

Strongly

Agree

________________________

The auction site commission

is reasonable

________________________

User registration

is complex at this site

________________________

The online auction site

contains an abundance of exhibits

Neither Agree nor Disagree

Disagree Strongly

Disagree

Semantic-Differential Scale Items

1. Abundance of ____:_____:____:____:______:____:_____ Scarcity of

exhibits exhibits

2. Complex ___:_____:_____:____:______:_____:____ Simple

user registration use registration

3. Low commission ____:____:_____:_____:____:______:___ High commission

4. Good response _____:___:______:_____:____:______:___ Poor response

to complaints to complaints

5. Poor protection of ____:____:______:_____:_____:_____:___Good protection of

personal information personal information

6. Confusing ____:____:______:_____:_____:_____:____Clear

support system support system

Stapel Scale

-5-5-5-5-5-5

-4-4-4-4-4-4

-3-3-3-3-3-3

-2-2-2-2-2-2

-1-1-1-1-1-1

+1+1+1+1+1+1

+2+2+2+2+2+2

+3+3+3+3+3+3

+4+4+4+4+4+4

+5+5+5+5+5+5

Confusing Support System

Poor Protection of Personal Information

Good Response

to ComplaintsLow

Commission

Complex User

Registration

Abundance of

Exhibits

Number of Scale Positions

• A scale w/a large number of positions won’t be meaningful if respondents can’t make fine mental distinctions with respect to whatever is being measured (e.g., 1-100)

• More precise measurements should result as the number of scale positions increase (e.g., 1-7 better than 1-5)

Content Validity• Face validity or Content validity is the extent to which the

content of a measurement scale seems to tap all relevant facets of an issue that can influence respondents’ attitudes

• E.g., Scale to measure job satisfaction =– Scale = Pay, promotional opptys, quality of supervision.– Content valid? NO!

• Doesn’t measure key aspects of a sales job such as traveling, visiting with customers, etc.

Religious beliefs ExampleAgree Disagree

1. I attend a religious service regularly 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

2. Spiritual values are more important than material things. 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

3. If Americans were more religious, this would be a better country.

7 6 5 4 3 2 1

4. I enjoy reading about my religion. 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

5. It doesn’t much matter what I believe so long as I am good. 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

6. It is important to me to spend time in private thought and prayer.

7 6 5 4 3 2 1

7. I have often had a strong sense of God’s presence. 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

8. I try hard to live all my life according to my religious beliefs. 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

9. Although I am religious, I don’t let it affect my daily life. 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

10. My whole approach to life is based on my religion. 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

11. Although I believe in my religion, many other things are more important in life.

7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Music Example# Item Strongly

DisagreeStronglyDisagree

1 Musical talent runs in my family 1------------2------------3-----------4-----------5

2 I consider at least one of my parents to bemusically talented

1------------2------------3-----------4-----------5

3 There is an atmosphere of music in my family 1------------2------------3-----------4-----------5

4 My extended family has many that aremusically talented

1------------2------------3-----------4-----------5

5 I had several early opportunities to participatein musical activities in my primary school and/or at a house of worship

1------------2------------3-----------4-----------5

6 I  need a daily dose of music to keep me going  1------------2------------3-----------4-----------5

7 I feel internally compelled to seek thestimulation of music

1------------2------------3-----------4-----------5

8 Music is an important part of my life 1------------2------------3-----------4-----------5

9 Something inside me drives me toward music 1------------2------------3-----------4-----------5

10 I am deeply interested in music 1------------2------------3-----------4-----------5

Question Form

Nonstructured

• Open ended– How old are you? ____

– What do you like most about owning a home? ________

– Describe your thoughts about shoplifters. _____________

Structured

• Dichotomous– Do you smoke?

• Yes ___ No___

– Multiple-category• Which product category is

most suited to purchase on the Internet?

– Automobiles ___

– Books ___

– Electronic items ___

– Travel ___

Response Category Content

• Must be exhaustive and can’t overlap!– E.g., What is your age?

• Under 18 ___

• 18-30

• 30-45

• 45-60

Question Relevance• Make sure the question is answerable.

– E.g., How much has your family spent in the last 12 mos. on cookware? ______. (Who knows this stuff??)

• Make sure the respondent will answer it.– E.g., questions about personal finances and sexual behavior are sensitive

questions.

• No double-barreled questions– E.g., Do you feel firms today are concerned about their employees and

customers?• Yes ___ No ____ No opinion ___ • This should be 2 separate questions

Question Relevance Cont’d• No leading questions (steering respondents)

– Don’t you think offshore drilling for oil is environmentally unsound?

• No one-sided questions– Do you feel firms today are concerned about their employees?

• Instead, asked if they are concerned or unconcerned.

• No questions with implicit assumptions– Do you drink coffee while watching football, baseball, and so on?

• Assumes home on TV, assumes a coffee drinker, “and so on” is unclear

• Use a filter question: I do not drink coffee ___ (Skip to next question)

• No complex questions– In which of the following do you typically invest your liquid assets?

Question Layout

• Version 1– How old are you?

• ___Less than 18___18 to 25___26 to 40___Over 40

• Version 2 (best, even though takes up more space)

– How old are you?• ___Less than 18

• ___18 to 25

• ___26 to 40

• ___Over 40

Position of Demographic & Sensitive Questions

• Place at the end so you don’t irritate some respondents and affect their willingness to complete the rest of the survey.

• Only ask at beginning if they are filter/screening questions

• Ask simple questions at the beginning so get off to a smooth start.

Related Questions

• Cluster similar questions together

• Skipping around causes confusion

• Move from general to specific questions within a topic.

Layout of Questionnaire• Title of Study (E.g., Search for information, price elasticity, etc.)

• Opening statement & appeal for support (E.g., Following are several questions referring to the advertisement you just saw. Please take your time and respond…, etc.)

– Screening questions (e.g., student, freshman, alumni, employee, etc)

– Knowledge/Information statements (How often…, how regularly…, how much…, etc.) (i.e., descriptive questions)

– Experimental design hypothesis questions. (Can be a pre-existing scale from a handbook of marketing scales.)

– Open-ended exploratory question. Allow 3 blank lines for a response. (E.g., “What should be done, if anything, about [your topic].”)

– Final demographic questions (e.g., ethnicity, age, gender, class, marital status, etc.)

• Thank them & tell them what to do with the ?aire when finished.

Last Thoughts

• Make sure the scales are written/labeled neatly & professionally.

• Do not have any grammar or spelling errors.

• Write ?s/statements in the simplest form that someone with an 8th grade ed. could understand.

• Consider the purpose for your questions & make sure they have value. (Don’t waste time analyzing unnecessary data, or doing more data entry than needed.)

Last Thoughts Cont’d

• Make sure all questions are answerable by your target segment(s).

• Choose your own scales, my suggestion = 1-7 Likert scale.

• Don’t print pages back to back

• Don’t make it too long – participant fatigue

• Look over ea. other’s to give tips the group might not see.

Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Company, Inc. All rights reserved 9-37