Basics, Questionniares
What is a Likert Scale?
Sep
What is a Likert scale? Understanding Likert scales is a basic skill in market research. Likert scales, developed by American social scientist Rensis Likert, facilitate the collection of nuanced opinions on almost any subject. They can be implemented to understand customer satisfaction, employee engagement, and more, by delivering granular insight on perceptions, opinions, and behaviors.
Likert Scale Definition
Likert scales are one of the most popular survey tools, providing a range of answer options that are either numeric or verbal, which encapsulate diverse opinions on a specified topic. They are an integral component of closed-ended questions and present respondents with a set of predetermined answer choices. A typical Likert scale question employs a 4/5 or 6/7 point satisfaction scale, traversing from one extreme attitude to another, sometimes incorporating a moderate or neutral option.
Examples of Likert Scales
Customer Satisfaction:
- Very Dissatisfied
- Dissatisfied
- Neutral
- Satisfied
- Very Satisfied
Product Quality:
- Extremely Poor
- Very Poor
- Poor
- Average
- Good
- Very Good
- Excellent
Employee Engagement:
- Not Engaged at All
- Rarely Engaged
- Occasionally Engaged
- Frequently Engaged
- Always Engaged
Frequency of Use:
- Never
- Very Rarely
- Rarely
- Occasionally
- Frequently
- Very Often
- Always
Agreement Scale:
- Strongly Disagree
- Disagree
- Agree
- Strongly Agree
Likelihood to Recommend:
- Definitely would not recommend
- Very unlikely to recommend
- Unlikely to recommend
- Might or might not recommend
- Likely to recommend
- Very likely to recommend
- Definitely would recommend
Importance Scale:
- Not Important at All
- Slightly Important
- Moderately Important
- Very Important
- Extremely Important
Ease of Use:
- Extremely Difficult
- Very Difficult
- Difficult
- Easy
- Very Easy
- Extremely Easy
Effectiveness Scale:
- Not Effective at All
- Slightly Effective
- Moderately Effective
- Very Effective
- Extremely Effective
Accessibility Scale:
- Completely Inaccessible
- Mostly Inaccessible
- Inaccessible
- Accessible
- Mostly Accessible
- Completely Accessible
Benefits of Likert Scales
Likert scales streamline the process of obtaining quantifiable and detailed responses, making the analysis of data more efficient and precise. By offering respondents a spectrum of specific responses, Likert scales enhance the quality and reliability of the data collected, ensuring that questions are straightforward, focused, and respondent-friendly.
Considerations while Using Likert Scales
While employing Likert scales, thoughtful consideration of the number of scale categories is extremely important. A limited number can mask the intensity of feelings, and an excess can lead to respondent overwhelm. It is our recommendation to avoid the neutral option, as it can serve as an easy out for unsure respondents, potentially skewing the data. However, there is a debate around this issue.
The Debate: To Include or Not Include a Neutral Option
There is debate around whether it should be best practice to include a neutral option in Likert scales. A neutral option can cater to respondents who genuinely feel indifferent, offering them a middle ground and potentially reducing forced responses, and preserving the integrity of the data collected. However, its inclusion can also risk attracting undecided respondents, leading to central tendency bias where the middle option becomes a default, especially in lengthy surveys. This can potentially compromise the authenticity and reliability of the responses.
Considering the implications of having a neutral option, it is important to assess its necessity based on the specific context and objectives of your survey. If included, attention to survey design and question clarity is needed to mitigate biases and support its incorporation effectively. Conversely, omitting a neutral might be prudent when clear, decisive opinions are sought to gain deeper, more insightful reflections of respondents’ true sentiments and preferences.
Practical Applications of Likert Scales
Likert scales are applicable in almost any survey type, from employee engagement surveys to customer satisfaction assessments and professional event feedback. Their flexibility allows them to gauge a variety of sentiments such as agreement, satisfaction, and frequency, providing a rich and nuanced understanding of opinions and experiences. For example, Likert scales can help event organizers pinpoint specific areas for improvement by evaluating different aspects of an event, like the relevance of the content presented.
Best Practices in Likert Scale Use
To use Likert scales effectively, adhere to the following best practices:
- Focused Questions: Keep questions concentrated on a single topic to ensure the consistency and reliability of the responses.
- Grouping Related Questions: Cluster similar questions together to derive composite scores, such as a “Quality of Service” score, allowing for more coherent and meaningful interpretations.
- Balanced Scales: Maintain symmetry in the scale options, ensuring an equal number of positive and negative choices.
- Clear and Concise Wording: Use straightforward and unambiguous language to avoid any misinterpretation.
- Appropriate Scale Length: Choose the scale length wisely, avoiding too many or too few options, to capture the true essence of respondents’ feelings without causing decision fatigue.
- Avoiding Neutral Options: Refrain from including a neutral choice to compel respondents to form an opinion, resulting in more authentic and insightful data.
By implementing these practices, researchers can leverage Likert scales to unearth deeper insights and make more informed and strategic decisions.
Understanding Likert scales is invaluable for capturing the opinions, perceptions, and behaviors of respondents in market research. They circumvent common survey pitfalls and elevate data quality, provided their design and deployment are meticulously considered and executed. By offering a range of specific responses and focusing on single topics, Likert scales unravel nuanced insights, empowering researchers, businesses, and organizers with the knowledge to make informed and strategic decisions.
