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There are four fundamental levels of measurement scales: Nominal, Ordinal, Interval, and Ratio. Researchers use these measurement scales to capture data in the form of surveys and questionnaires.
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The choice of which measurement tool to use when collecting data depends almost entirely on the data’s intended use. Nominal scales measure classification only, where something fits into a category. Ordinal scales measure ranking order, from either best to worst or lesser to greater value. Interval scales combine all of the above measurements with the added feature of having the intervals between all choices be equal. Again, a ratio measurement scale includes all of the previous scales’ qualities plus a definitive natural origin. For example, a percentage is a ratio measurement because the lowest possible rate is 0%, and all of the intervals between percentage points are equal (Mishra, Pandey, Singh, & Gupta,2018). To choose a measurement scale, decide what the plan to do with the data and then decide what scale to use (Mirshra et al., 2018).
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The primary measurement scales in data collection are nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio. From first to last, they get complicated and allow the researcher to do more complicated mathematics with the data. Nominal data is useful if a researcher merely wants a simple description of something. For example, is the respondent considered an adult or not? Ordinal data classifies, like nominal data, but the researcher is also able to rank the responses. By simultaneously classifying and ranking the data allows the researcher to figure out which is best. Interval and ratio measurements are the most complicated. Interval scales are useful for figuring out averages and group tendencies. Ratios are suitable for hard and fast measurements and are very useful in business research and not behavioral sciences. These four measurement scales can be used in the same survey, depending on what the researcher collects and analyzes (Markham, n.d.).
references:
Markham, S. (n.d.). Research methods and measurement scales. Retrieved from http://users.monash.edu/~smarkham/resources/scaling.htm
Mishra, P., Pandey, C. M., Singh, U., & Gupta, A. (2018). Scales of measurement and presentation of statistical data. Annals of Cardiac Anaesthesia, 21(4), 419-422. DOI: 10.4103/aca.ACA_131_18
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