Likert, and likerttype, responses are popular psychometric item scoring schemes. The purpose of a likert scale is to identify the attitude of people towards the given stimulus objects by asking them. Carifio and perla 5, 6 are among the strongest supporters for treating likerttype responses as interval data, going so far as to suggest that the likertresponses approximate ratio data. It was developed by and named after organizational psychologist rensis likert. In each question, a statement is presented in which a respondent must indicate a degree of agreement or disagreement in a multiple choice type format.
Reporting and interpreting scores derived from likerttype. Jan 09, 2018 a likert scale is a multipleindicator or multipleitem measure of a set of attitudes relating to a particular area. The original idea for the likert scale is found in rensis likerts 1932 article in archive of psychology titled a technique for the measurement of attitudes. Some advantages of likert scale questionnaires are that a data can be gathered relatively quickly from large numbers of respondents, b they can. Additionally, some interviews contain pauses for respondents. For example, in a question with 5 likert items and 4 selection choices, each item has answers from 1 to 5, but the scale for this question is between 4 to 20. Likerts system 5 leadership theory as evidenced by only three specific articles on the topic found among several academic databases. A likert scale named after psychologist rensis likert, so please capitalize accordingly is an npoint ordinal scale frequently 5 or 7 point often used in social scientific research. I thought it might be useful, therefore, to comment on these different articles and then to make some suggestions about the difficulties of. A psychometric evaluation of 4point and 6point likert. A likerttype scale involves a series of statements that respondents may choose from in order to rate their responses to evaluative questions vogt, 1999. A likert type scale involves a series of statements that respondents may choose from in order to rate their responses to evaluative questions vogt, 1999. Heiberger2 1 nbr, 11 christine court, wayne, nj 074706523 2 temple university, 332 speakman hall 006 12, philadelphia, pa 19122 6083 abstract rating scales such as likert scales and semantic differential scales are very common in. Selfreport inventories are one of the most widely used tools in psychological research.
There are advantages and disadvantages to every type of research, and they are quite clear with this type. Some authors also include scales with other numbers of categories about attitude. The different degrees of rating provided can be assigned a score which gives you solid data to work further. Abstract the likert scale is commonly used in survey research using primary and secondary data to measure the respondent. Advantages it supplies more precise and definite response towards an issue. These advantages of the likert format above all, its simplicity and versatility explain why this approach is ubiquitous in survey research. I thought it might be useful, therefore, to comment on these different articles and then to make some suggestions about the difficulties of using such likert type scales, given their popularity. Dec 28, 2016 a likert scale named after psychologist rensis likert, so please capitalize accordingly is an npoint ordinal scale frequently 5 or 7 point often used in social scientific research. A likert scale is a type of psychometric scale frequently used in psychology questionnaires. The purpose of a likert scale is to identify the attitude of people towards the given stimulus objects by asking them the extent to which they agree or disagree with them.
These results suggest that an unbalanced five or six points scale might outperform both our three to fourpoint scale as well as our 11point end. The advantages of the likert scale is that its easy to. Likert scales are widely used to measure attitudes and opinions with a greater degree of nuance than a simple yesno question. Carifio and perla 5, 6 are among the strongest supporters for treating likert type responses as interval data, going so far as to suggest that the likert responses approximate ratio data. Explored and explained article pdf available in current journal of applied science and technology 74. Abstract the likert scale is commonly used in survey research using. Likert scale definition, examples and analysis simply psychology. It is a measuring scale or a tool used to determine the opinions, behaviors and perceptions of individuals or consumers. It is typically a five response category scale ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree. They do make the important distinction between likert scales compared to the answers to individual questions using likerttype responses. Analyzing likert data the journal of extension joe. Such scales have advantages and disadvantages and in this article i comment on some of these.
Most common uses are for customer sentiment on a specific product, service or experience. In survey research, likert scales are the most commonly used type of scale. The likert scale analysis using parametric based structural. Likert scale items are created by calculating a composite score sum or mean from four or more type likerttype items. The importance of a questionnaire is evident in a lot of processes as it allows entities to have an idea about the items and information that they would like to know. The biggest advantage is that you can quantify feelings. Likert scale, rating system, used in questionnaires, that is designed to measure peoples attitudes, opinions, or perceptions. Likert scales result when survey participants are asked to rank their agreement with survey items on a scale that includes strongly disagree, disagree, neither agree nor disagree, agree and strongly agree. A 5 point likert scale is an online questionnaire, which requires a selected response answer to a series of questions in order to evaluate the instruction of a given course. In its most common format, the likert scale consists of a statement e. According to bissonnette 2007, likert scale was named after inventor, psychologist resins likert. Likert scale examples for surveys iowa state university.
The method of construction of likert scale is less combersome. It is the most widely used approach to scaling responses in survey research, such that the term or more accurately the likerttype scale is often used interchangeably with rating scale, although there are. Whether it is a student questionnaire example or a marketing research questionnaire that you will create, here are some steps that can help you make a questionnaire in an easier and more efficient manner. Likert scale questions, survey and examples questionpro. Most researchers would not use a 3point likert type scale with a statistical technique requiring interval data. In its final form, the likert scale is a five or seven point scale which is used to allow the individual to express how much they agree or disagree with a particular statement. Oppenheim 1992, kline 1998, and babbie 1999 emphasized that the score an individual receives on a likert scale is the sum of an. Advantages and disadvantage of the rating scales advantages of the rating scales graphic rating scales are less time consuming to develop.
Three good reasons not to use five and seven point likert. Surveys and questionnaires research design service. Thus, interviews can be done face to face or by telephone. The likert scale was named after its developer, rensis likert. A psychometric evaluation of 4point and 6point likerttype. Pdf likert scale is applied as one of the most fundamental and frequently used psychometric tools in educational and social sciences research find, read. They do make the important distinction between likert scales compared to the answers to individual questions using likert type responses. Usually, a scale of 010 is provided with likert scale questions, although shorter scales may also be possible. Make sure that you are aware of all the variables that should be present within a. Download pdf show page numbers the likert scale, named for rensis likert pronounced lickurt who published a seminal report describing its use, possibly is the most widely employed form of attitude measurement in survey research. Cpsc 681 topic report dane bertram likert scales 1 page likert scale \lickurt\, n.
A likert scale assumes that the strengthintensity of an attitude is linear, i. Three good reasons not to use five and seven point likert items. The goal of a likert scale is to measure intensity of feelings about the area in question. Also, as observations can range from one to five or low to high, it also gives more scope than a simple yesno format of questioning. Similarly, in a randomised comparison of four patient satisfaction questionnaires, perneger et al.
Dec 05, 2011 the likert scale is an ordinal psychometric measurement of attitudes, beliefs and opinions. Kerlinger 1986 described a likert scale as a summated rating scale whereby an inividuals score on the scale is a sum, or average, of the individuals responses to the multiple items on the instrument. The likert scale is best used to measure and evaluate a general topic and then drill down into specifics. Likert scale items are created by calculating a composite score sum or mean from four or more type likert type items. For example, each of the five or seven responses would have a numerical value which would be used to measure the attitude under investigation.
Lets explore what makes up a likert question, find examples, understand when you should use this tool, and see how you can put it to work for your surveys. Likert type scales, multitraitmultimethod matrix, reliability, scale options, validity. Technically, a likert item is a single question with likert responses, whereas a likert scale is a group of items viewed together as a single measure. Sep 16, 2019 though analysis of likert scale data can be quite the scientific and mathematical undertaking especially in determining validity, distortions, etc. The likert scale is named after its creator, rensis likert, who developed it in 1932. In a likert scale survey respondents simply dont choose between yesno, there are specific choices based on agreeing or disagreeing on a certain question in the survey. For example, one could have several likert items with various questions about religious attitudes or behaviors, and then combine those items to a. On a likert scale, respondents are asked to rate the level to which they agree with a. Data analysis the major purpose of this study determined whether increased stress caused health and mental issues and the effects of the study will be generalized to the. His innovation was to make a statement instead of asking a question, and then ask respondents to rate the extent to which they agreed or disagreed with the basic statement. A psychometric response scale primarily used in questionnaires to obtain participants preferences or degree of agreement with a statement or set of statements. Likert scale data, on the other hand, are analyzed at the interval measurement scale. Jul 14, 2016 advantages it supplies more precise and definite response towards an issue. A likert scale is commonly used to measure attitudes, knowledge, perceptions, values, and behavioral changes.
In each question, a statement is presented in which. A questionnaire template is a tool usually used to provide a set of questions beneficial for data gathering, analysis, and research. Likerttype scales, multitraitmultimethod matrix, reliability, scale options, validity. The likert scale permits the revelation of several five degree of agreement or disagreement but thurstone scale is based on only two alternative responses. Similarly, the likert scale is a valuable and important part of survey research, which is. Seven point likert items suffer from response style bias. Likert scale definition, examples and analysis simply. Each level on the scale is assigned a numeric value or coding, usually starting at 1 and incremented by one for each level. Disadvantages of the rating scales different supervisors will use the same graphic scales in slightly different ways. Simplifying threeway questionnaires do the advantages of binary.
A questionnaire can be sent and returned by post or email, completed on the web, or handed directly to the respondent who completes it on the spot and hands it back. Volume, number 3, september 20, contains ten articles, and nine of these describe the use andor development of likerttype scales. Since likert 1932 introduced the summative rating scale, now known as the likert type scale, researchers have attempted to find the number of. Explored and explained ankur joshi1, saket kale2, satish chandel3 and d. Yet there are a variety of rob johns university of strathclydesqb methods fact sheet 1 march 2010 likert items and scales. There are at least three good reasons why likert items in general, and seven point likert items specifically, can be a dangerous default choice for survey researchers. Its an interview or set of questions used to know the agreements of respondents on variety of items, products and services. The advantageous side of the likert scale is that they are the most universal method for survey. The likert scale analysis using parametric based structural equation modeling sem zainudin awang 1, asyraf afthanorhan2, mustafa mamat3 1,2,3 faculty of economics and management sciences,universiti sultan zainal abidin kampus gong badak, 20 kuala terengganu, malaysia. What are the advantages and disadvantages of likert scale. Reporting and interpreting scores derived from likerttype scales. In contrast, an interview or a postal questionnaire is a method of data collection. The word scale used in the name, refers to the total sum of all likert items used in the question. A likert scale is a multipleindicator or multipleitem measure of a set of attitudes relating to a particular area.
The main advantage of likert scale questions is that they use a universal method of collecting data. Subjects choose from a range of possible responses to a specific question or statement. Volume, number 3, september 20, contains ten articles, and nine of these describe the use andor development of likert type scales. Various kinds of rating scales have been developed to measure attitudes directly i. Likert scale is a psychometric scale where questions based on this scale are normally used in a survey. The advantages of using such a scale are largely pragmatic.
Likerttype or frequency scales use fixed choice response formats and are designed to measure attitudes or opinions 2. Sample scale used in likert scale questions origin. Most researchers would not use a 3point likerttype scale with a statistical technique requiring interval data. The likert scale originated with rensis likert, and has a long history of use in kinesiology research, 14, 24. Likert chartswhich are in essence just stacked bar chartsare far more compact. Calculating, interpreting, and reporting cronbachs alpha. Identify the purpose on why the questionnaire is needed to be created. Pal1 1department of community medicine, gandhi medical college, bhopal, 462001, india. Use and misuse of the likert item responses and other.
Sla, likert scale questionnaires have most frequently been used in investigations of individual difference variables, such as motivation, anxiety, and selfconfidence. Jul 01, 2015 likert, and likerttype, responses are popular psychometric item scoring schemes for attempting to quantify peoples opinions on different issues. The main advantage of likert scale questions is that they use a universal method of collecting data, which means it is easy to understand them. Aug 03, 2014 similarly, in a randomised comparison of four patient satisfaction questionnaires, perneger et al. Methods of collecting survey data it is important to remember that a survey is a type of research design. Likert and likert type scale the construction of likert or likert type scale is rooted into the aim of the research sometimes the purpose of the research is to understand about the opinionsperceptions of participants related with single latent variable phenomenon of interest. The likert scale is an ordinal psychometric measurement of attitudes, beliefs and opinions. A main advantage of a 5point likert scale is that it is easy to interpret the data gathered because of the numbering assigned to each option, according to simply psychology.
Since likert 1932 introduced the summative rating scale, now known as the likerttype scale, researchers have attempted to find the number of. Use and misuse of the likert item responses and other ordinal. Advantages of using likert scale questions smartsurvey blog. It is one of the most widely used question types in a survey. Reliability and the number of rating scale categories. The likert scale is named for its creator, american scientist rensis likert, who felt that surveys yielding only yesorno answers were limited in their usefulness. One of the most common scale types is a likert scale. The advantages of the likert scale is that its easy to construct, administer and score but the disadvantages of this scale are the reliability of the answer that the respondents give in answering their questions truthfully. Likert, likerttype, and ordinalscale responses are very popular. The disadvantage is that it takes slightly longer for a user to parse them, but when faced with lots of questions or groupings, they tend to be a better option. Though analysis of likert scale data can be quite the scientific and mathematical undertaking especially in determining validity, distortions, etc.
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