School Store Operations

Likert Scales

What is a Likert Scale

• The Likert Scale was developed by Rensis Likert in 1932** in an attempt to improve the levels of measurement in social research through the use of standardized response categories in survey questionnaires.

• It is one of the most frequently used attitude measure in social sciences.  

• Respondents are requested to state their level of agreement with a series of attitude statements.  

• Each degree of agreement or disagreement is given a value on a predetermined scale.  

• Often a set of Likert items will be summed to provide a total score for the attitude.

How Are Likert Questions Developed

• Likert questions are typically a five point scale, as shown in the following example:

• Capital punishment should be reinstated.____Strongly agree    _____Agree    _____Neutral    _____Disagree    ____Strongly disagree

How Many Possible Responses Should There Be?

• Some research designs prefer an even number of possible responses so that there is no midpoint in the scale.

• In this case,  the respondent is forced to make a choice that leans either to agree or disagree.  

• Studies have been done that indicate the preferred number of responses is dependent on the content.

How can a Likert Scale Survey be used to answer a research question:

• An intensity question is used to measure the strength of a respondent's feeling or attitude on a particular topic.  

• These kinds of questions allow you to obtain more quantitative information about the survey subject.  

• Instead of a finding that 80 percent of the respondents favor a particular proposal or issue, you can obtain more specific levels of favor.  

• For Example, results that show 5 percent are strongly in favor and 75 percent are mildly in favor may provide more valuable insight.

What Is A Typical Likert Scale?• A typical likert scale allows the respondent to choose one of seven

degrees of feeling about a statement from strong approval to strong disapproval.

• Likert-like scales with three to ten degrees or choices are also appropriate. 

• The "questions" are in the form of statements that seem either definitely favorable or definitely unfavorable toward the matter under consideration.

• The answers are given scores (or weights) ranging from one to the number of available answers, with the highest weight going to the answer showing the most favorable attitude toward the subject of the survey.

• The following question from the Minnesota Survey of Opinions designed to measure the amount of "anti-US law" feelings illustrate this procedure:

• 1. Almost anything can be fixed up in the courts if you have enough money.Strongly Disagree (1) Disagree (2) Undecided (3) Agree (4) Strongly Agree (5)

Advantages/Disadvantages of Likert Scale Survey:

Advantages of Likert scaling: Disadvantages of Likert scaling:

Responses are gathered in a standardized way.

Relatively quick to collect information can be relatively easy simple to

construct. Can collected from a large portion of a

group. Easy to use.   Gives participants a wide range of

choices which may make them feel more comfortable.

Participants may not be completely honest - which may be intentional or unintentional.

Participants may base answers on

feelings toward surveyor or subject may answer according to what they feel

is expected of them as participants scale requires a great deal of decision-

making. Can take a long time to analyze the

data

Designing A Questionnaire

• Students will design a questionnaire using Likert Scale measurements for articles in the store (25 questions worth 50 points):– Freeze pops– Snickers– 3 Musketeers– Oreos– Propel– Gatorade– Capri Sun– Cameras– Etc.