Rating Scale Definition

John Kling^*
*Correspondence: John Kling, Department of Economic Studies, Walden University, USA, Tel: + 17468958124, Email:

Rating scale is defined as a closed-ended survey question won’t to represent respondent feedback during a comparative form for specific particular features/products/services. It’s one among the foremost established question types for online and offline surveys where survey respondents are expected to rate an attribute or feature. Rating scale may be a variant of the favoured multiple-choice question which is widely wont to gather information that gives relative information a few specific topics.

Researchers use a rating scale in research once they shall associate a qualitative measure with the varied aspects of a product or feature. Generally, this scale is employed to gauge the performance of a product or service, employee skills, customer service performances, processes followed for a specific goal etc. Rating scale survey question are often compared to a checkbox question but rating scale provides more information than merely Yes/No.

Types of Rating Scale

Broadly speaking, rating scales are often divided into two categories: Ordinal and Interval Scales.

An ordinal scale may be a scale the depicts the solution options in an ordered manner. The difference between the 2 answer options might not be calculable but the solution options will always be during a certain innate order. Parameters like attitude or feedback are often presented using an ordinal scale.

An interval scale may be a scale where not only is that the order of the solution variables established but the magnitude of difference between each answer variable is additionally calculable. Absolute or true zero value isn't present in an interval scale. Temperature in Celsius or Fahrenheit is that the hottest example of an interval scale. Net Promoter Score, Likert Scale, Bipolar Matrix Table are a number of the foremost effective sorts of interval scale.

There are four primary sorts of rating scales which may be suitably utilized in a web survey:

Graphic Rating Scale

Numerical Rating Scale

Descriptive Rating Scale

Comparative Rating Scale

Uses of Rating Scale

Gain relative information a few particular subject: during a sample size of 1000 individuals, each individual will have a special outlook towards a subject. Gathering comparative information about satisfaction levels, the frequency of use, loyalty and lots of other such parameters. Compare and analyze data: Researchers can collect unbiased data from the audience and analyze that using online survey software’s like Question Pro. If a rating scale question is employed across a substantial sample size, there are chances that the margin of error in obtained data are often reduced or eliminated Measure one important product/service element: There are surveys where certain topics got to be addressed specifically, so as to know the target market during a better manner. Rating scales are often implemented in such cases where there are multiple important elements which are to be analyzed. As an example, to live degree of agreement, frequency, satisfaction etc.

Advantages of Rating Scale

Rating scale questions are easy to know and implement. Offers a comparative analysis of quantitative data within the target sample for researchers to form well-informed decisions.

Using graphic rating scales, it's easy for researchers to make surveys as they consume the smallest amount time to configure.

Abundant information is often collected and analyzed employing a rating scale. The analysis of answer received for rating scale questions is quick and fewer time-consuming. Rating scale is usually considered to a typical for collecting qualitative and quantitative information for research.