Scaling in research methodology

caling is the branch of measurement that involves the construction of an instrument that associates qualitative constructs with quantitative metric units. Scaling evolved out of efforts in psychology and education to measure “unmeasurable” constructs like authoritarianism and self-esteem. In many ways, scaling remains one of the most arcane and misunderstood aspects of social research measurement. And, it attempts to do one of the most difficult of research tasks – measure abstract concepts.

Most people don’t even understand what scaling is. The basic idea of scaling is described in General Issues in Scaling, including the important distinction between a scale and a response format. Scales are generally divided into two broad categories: unidimensional and multidimensional. The unidimensional scaling methods were developed in the first half of the twentieth century and are generally named after their inventor. We’ll look at three types of unidimensional scaling methods here:

Thurstone or Equal-Appearing Interval Scaling
Likert or “Summative” Scaling
Guttman or “Cumulative” Scaling
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, measurement theorists developed more advanced techniques for creating multidimensional scales. Although these techniques are not considered here, you may want to look at the method of concept mapping that relies on that approach to see the power of these multivariate methods.

1. SEMINOR TOPIC on SCALING By T.K. Gundoor.

2. Scaling scaling is the extension of measurement. it is the selection and use of a proper scale for measurement

3. Meaning of Scaling Scaling describe the procedures of assigning of numbers 0r symbols (i.e., quantitative measures) to subjective abstract concepts (or properties of objects) This can be done in two ways viz., Making a judgement about some characteristic of an individual and then placing him or her directly on a scale that has been defined in terms of that characteristic. Constructing questionnaires in such a way that the score of individual’s responses assigns him or her a place on a scale.

4. Scale Classification Bases The number of assigning procedures or the scaling procedures may be broadly classified on the following bases: Subject Orientation : Under it a scale may be designed to measure characteristics of the respondent who completes it Response form: we may classify the scales as categorical and comparative(rating and ranking) Degree of subjectivity: scale data may be based on whether we measure subjective personal preferences or non-preference judgment Scale properties: nominal,ordinal,interval and ratio scale. Number of dimension: scales can be classified as unidimentional and multidimensional

5. Scale construction Techniques

6. Consensus approach - panel of judges evaluate The name of L.L. Thurstone is associated with differential scales which have been developed using consensus scale approach. Under such an approach the selection of items is made by a panel of judges who evaluate the items in terms of whether they are relevant to the topic area and unambiguous in implication. Arbitrary approach - scales on ad hoc basis Arbitrary scales are developed on ad hoc basis and are designed largely through the researcher's own subjective selection of items.

7. Item analysis approach - individual items into test Name of the scale developed under this approach is summated scales(such as likert scale) Item analysis is the set of qualitative and quantitative techniques and procedures used to evaluate the characteristics of items of the test before and after the test development and construction Cumulative scales approach - ranking of items also called as guttman's scalogram A Guttman scale (also known as cumulative scaling or scalogram analysis) is an ordinal scale type where statements are arranged in a hierarchical order so that someone who agrees with one item will also agree with lower-order, easier, less extreme items. A Guttman scale presents a number of items to which the person is requested to agree or not agree. This is typically done in a 'Yes/No' dichotomous format

8. Factor analysis aproach – inter correlation of items name od the scale developed under approch factor scale Factor scales are developed through factor analysis or on the basis of intercorrelations of items which indicate that a common factor accounts for the relationships between items. An important factor scale based on factor analysis is Semantic Differential (S.D.) and the other one is Multidimensional Scaling.

9.  The important scaling techniques often used in the context of research specially in context of social or business research are as follows:  Rating Scales  Ranking Scales Important Scaling Techniques

10. Rating Scales: The rating scale involves qualitative description of a limited number of aspects of a thing . There is no specific rule whether to use a two-points scale, three-point scale or scale with still more points. -Graphic rating scale -Itemised rating scale

11. Graphic rating scale A graphic rating scale presents respondents with a visual or graphic continuum. The respondent checks his or her response at any point along a continuum.

12. Itemized rating scale: The itemized rating scale(also known as numerical scale) presents a series of statements from which a respondent selects one as best reflecting his evaluation. In such a situation we may ask the respondent to select one, to express his opinion, from the following:

13. Ranking Scales: There are two generally used approaches of ranking scales viz., 1. Method of paired comparisons 2. Method of rank order

14. But when there are more than two , t h e n u m b e r o f j u d ge m e nt s r e q u i r e d i n a paired comparison i s given by the formula: N= n(n-1) 2 W h e r e N=number of judgements n = n u m b e r o f s t i m u l i o r o b j e ct s t o b e j u d ge d . The Paired Comparison Scaling is a comparative scaling technique wherein the respondent is shown two objects at the same time and is asked to select one according to the defined criterion. The resulting data are ordinal in nature. 1. Method of paired comparisons:

15. Rank Order Scaling A Rank Order scale gives the respondent a set of items and asks them to put the items in some form of order. rank order scaling also results in ordinal data.

16. Thank you